5 Easy/Fun Exercises For Your Back That’ll Make ‘Em Notice
I feel like many of my articles include a statement about a particular organ or body part being an unsung hero of the human body. It dawned on me today that I started this article the same way by stating that your back muscles are the unsung heroes of the body. And it’s true! The fact is, the human body is miraculous in many ways with a multitude of unsung heroes (the liver, the kidneys, the heart, to name a few).
And while your back isn’t an organ, like the other hero’s I mentioned above, I consider it an unsung hero because from a skeletal perspective, it keeps us upright and without a strong back our body’s structural integrity would be compromised.
Imagine the intricate network of bones, ligaments, and muscles working harmoniously to support your spine, allowing you to stand tall and move freely. The body’s back, often overlooked in daily life (until it’s injured), plays a pivotal role in maintaining balance and stability. It’s not just about aesthetics; a strong back is the silent force ensuring your body’s functionality. So, while we celebrate the marvels of our body’s organs, let’s not forget the unsung heroism of our skeletal foundation – the back, a steadfast guardian of our physical well-being.
That said, I think we can all agree that the “mirror muscles” often steal the show in our exercise routines. But focusing on your back is equally crucial for overall fitness and strength. Building a robust back, not only supports your entire body, improving posture and reducing the risk of injury, it also enhances the physique.
Working on the back muscles takes time, but because it builds a strong foundation for your body, it’s well worth the effort. When I added these exercises into my weekly regime as a variation to my workout, I started to feel the difference in my body and overall strength. Not only did I feel in tight muscles that hadn’t been worked in awhile, but also I also felt it in the way my clothes fit and in my overall strength. While I’m not where I want to be yet (are we ever?) what a significant improvement from where I started!
I worked with a personal trainer for a few months who helped me find the right exercises for my goals, fitness level, and fun exercises that I would like and thus continue to do for years down the road. These exercises are not too hard but not too easy, just my style. I highly recommend contracting a trainer as they can really help you get the form right, especially if you have physical limitations or concerns that you need to work around.
Before we dive in, let’s get an understanding of what muscle groups we’ll be impacting with the exercises that follow. My trainer explained it to me in an easily understandable manner so I paraphrase his teaching here. There are basically three groups of back muscles, the superficial, which aid shoulder movement; the intermediate, which support movement of the rib cage; and finally the deep muscles, which help maintain posture and the entire vertebral column. Most of these exercises work all three muscle groups, sometimes one group more heavily than the others.
In this post, I’ll explain my 5 favorite “back” exercises (some of which also work the arms). Of course there are many other exercises for the back, but I find that these are most fun and effective for me and the best part is that I’ve stayed consistent and continued to do these moves long after working with my trainer.
These exercises require minimal equipment so they are easy to do at home – all you need is dumbbells, and a bench, except for the Lat Pulldown (one of my favorites) which requires a cable machine. As always, start where you are, maybe with a couple sets of 5 reps, maybe 5 pound weights, then work your way up. At the time of this post, I do several sets (of 10 reps), with 10 lb weights a few times a week. The exercises are:
Dumbbell Row: This exercise activates your lats and traps, which also helps contribute to a nicely toned arm, but its main target is your back.
Dumbbell Pullover: This exercise is effective because it aids full range of motion in your lats in a stretched position.
Kettlebell Swing: This one seems to really get my heart beating. And, it only requires a kettlebell to get ‘er done.
Dumbbell Deadlifts: One of the best exercises you can do for your back because it works all of the muscles in your posterior chain and depending on the heft of the weights you choose to lift it can help you not only gain strength in building all of your back muscles, it’ll also activate just about every muscle group in your body. This one might even help your balance!
Lat Pulldowns: This exercise requires special equipment – a cable machine. It works your lats, biceps and traps (this one is especially good for your posture). If you’ve got the equipment or access to a gym this is a great exercise.
All of these exercises require tightening your core and glute muscles to be truly effective. Slow and intentional is the key to all of these exercises, except maybe the kettlebell swing (which is hard to do slow because of the momentum of the kettlebell).
Next let’s dive in to the form and actual movement involved in each of these exercises.
Dumbell Row: The dumbbell row, also known as the bent-over dumbbell row.
Perform dumbbell rows by placing one knee and one hand on the bench, then hinging your hips with your back straight and head aligned with your spine.
1) With one hand on the bench, and knees slightly bent hang the arm with the dumbbell in it, hand towards the floor.
2) Then lift the dumbbell by hinging your elbow bringing your hand toward your chest
and 3) extend your elbow above your back while holding your body steady (not twisting). Then lower your hand/arm back down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Pullover: 1) Holding a dumbbell with your grip around the top, lay with your back flat on a bench or stability ball (or, as I was trained, by putting the shoulders on the bench as pictured giving my legs and core a bit of a workout too while I’m at it).
2) With your feet planted on the ground and your core engaged, extend your arms to above your head towards the floor.
3) Keeping your shoulders or back pressed into the bench or stability ball, move your arms up towards the sky and lift your arms up over your chest.
4) Then when you’ve reached the top, slowly bring your arms back down towards the floor above your head, to the start position, and repeat.
Kettlebell Swing: Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Keep your toes forward. Place the kettlebell on the floor 12 to 18 inches in front of you. 1) Hinge down at the waist toward the bell. Keep your back flat. Grab the handle of the kettlebell with both hands. Bend your knees slightly. Ensure that your feet are flat and you’re balanced slightly towards your heels.
2) From the set up position, contract your lats and sweep the kettlebell back between your legs. Bend your knees slightly. Keep the weight in your hips and load your hamstrings.
3) Then forcefully drive (or swing) the kettlebell forwards with your hips and glutes. Simultaneously start to straighten your knees to bring yourself into a rigid, upright posture (pictured below). Your shoulders and arms should be loose to allow the weight to swing freely upwards.
When the kettlebell reaches its apex, your body should be vertically stacked with your ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders all in alignment. Focus on bracing/tightening your glutes and shoulder muscles at the top.
4) To reload and perform another rep, allow the kettlebell to fall naturally while sweeping it back between your legs with your lats. But don’t swing too far back. Keep your arms loose throughout. There should be just enough space between the kettlebell and your groin that it passes slightly behind your body without colliding with any essential body parts.
Widen your stance if you need more clearance between your thighs. When the kettlebell is at its furthest point, your body should closely resemble the setup position from Steps 1 and 2, priming you to fire off another rep immediately.
As these are a little harder because it’s not only engaging muscles in your back, but also in your arms, legs, glutes and core – start with 1 set of 10 if you can and work your way up.
Dumbell Deadlift: In this exercise, a weight is lifted from a resting position on the floor to an upright position. Grab a dumbbell in each hand, and put the weights on the floor in front of you.
1) Bending at the waist (like a yogic forward fold), with knees slightly bent, pick up the weights and stand up tall (shoulders back) pulling the weight with you and keeping your arms straight.
2) Bring your hips forward and squeeze your abs and glutes at the top.
3) Slowly reverse the movement, folding forward, slightly bending your knees and pushing your butt back to lower the weight back to the floor.
Inhale on the lift and exhale when you return the weights to the floor.
Again, start where you are, but because you are working so many muscles at once, start with 10 and work your way up.
Lat Pulls: Sit comfortably on the seat, with your feet flat on the floor. The bar should be at a height that your outstretched arms can comfortably grasp it without having to stand up entirely, but you should also be able to still extend your arms to achieve a full range of motion.
If the machine has a thigh pad, adjust it so that the upper thighs are tucked firmly under the pad (mine doesn’t have a thigh pad but most gym machines do). This will assist you when you apply effort to the bar.
1) Grasp the bar with a wide grip with an overhand, knuckles-up grip. Other positions and grips are possible but start with this standard position.
2) Pull the bar down until it’s approximately level with the chin. Exhale on the downward motion. While shifting slightly backward is OK, aim to keep your upper torso stationary. Keep your feet flat on the floor and engage your abs as you pull. The bottom of the motion should be where your elbows can’t move downward anymore without moving backward. Be sure to stop at that point and do not go lower.
3) Squeeze the shoulder blades together while maintaining square shoulders.
4) From the bottom position, with the bar close to your chin, slowly return the bar to the starting position while controlling its gradual ascent. Don’t let it crash into the weight plates. Start with two sets of 10 with a break between for a total of 20 pulls then work your way up.
Let’s talk about the amount of weight to lift! I mentioned that I use 10 pound weights for most of these exercises (20 lbs on the lat pulls) but I didn’t start there, I started with 3 pound weights, progressed to 5 pound weights and now I’m at 10 pounds (including the kettle bell). Men will typically start with much heavier weights. Again, just start where you are!
As we have discussed in many other posts, the choice between doing more repetitions (reps) with lighter weights or fewer reps with heavier weights depends on your specific fitness goals and the principles of resistance training you’re following. Both approaches have their advantages and can contribute to different aspects of muscular development and overall fitness. Let’s briefly explore both options:
- More Reps with Lighter Weights: This approach is often associated with muscular endurance training. It can help improve cardio fitness, muscle endurance and overall stamina. Using lighter weights and higher reps is especially good for beginners or those returning to exercise after a break as it’s less likely to cause injury and may be better for those recovering from injuries. This approach may not lead to significant muscle mass gain or maximal strength improvement.
- Fewer Reps with Heavier Weights: This approach is commonly associated with strength and building muscles. Lifting heavier weights at lower reps can lead to increased muscle mass and greater strength gains. It helps to recruit more muscle fibers, leading to greater overall muscle development. This approach may require a longer recovery time between sets and workouts due to the higher intensity. Proper form and technique are crucial when lifting heavier weights to prevent injuries. If you don’t feel comfortable with your form consult a professional trainer, or physical therapist.
In many cases, a balanced approach that incorporates both higher reps with lighter weights and lower reps with heavier weights can yield well-rounded results. This concept is often used when training over time to target different fitness goals and prevent plateaus.
It’s important to tailor your approach to your individual goals, fitness level, and any existing medical conditions or physical limitations you may have. Consulting with a fitness professional or personal trainer can help you design a workout program that aligns with your objectives and ensures proper technique and progression.
Remember, consistency, proper form, and a balanced approach to training are key factors in achieving long-term success and minimizing the risk of injury. Nurturing your muscles through proper exercise, balanced routines, and attentive care is crucial for maintaining strong and functional muscles.
The journey to a fit, healthier, and happier you is so worth it. I know because I lived it.
I stopped chasing skinny and started focusing on my health—and that single shift changed everything. I lost 140 pounds, but more importantly, I found clarity, energy, and a life that finally feels like mine.
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