One-arm hummer horizontal row. Lever row - an effective exercise in the hummer simulator for the back muscles

14.04.202027.05.2017

How to build a powerful, wide back? How to achieve the coveted V-shape? What exercises are most effective in pumping up the back? How to train your back so as not to get injured and what exercises to choose if you already have problems with your back? You will learn about this by reading this article: “exercises for the back muscles.”

Back muscles

The back is a muscle mass, second in volume only to the muscles of the legs. It's huge muscle group, which includes muscles located in layers of different depths. In this article, we will consider muscles only from the point of view of bodybuilding, so we will list the muscles that form the external relief of the back (from top to bottom):

Neck muscles (splenius capitis muscle);
Trapezius muscles;
Rhomboid muscles;
Latissimus muscles;
infraspinatus muscle;
Teres major and minor muscles;
Muscles - extensors of the back.

The back muscles are involved in almost all traction movements (latissimus, rhomboid), in which they are assisted by the rear deltoids and biceps. The back muscles also work in extending the body (back extensors), raising the shoulders (trapezius), and bringing the shoulder to the body (latissimus).

Exercises to strengthen your back muscles

Why do you need to strengthen your back muscles? The answer to this question lies on the surface. First of all, you need to strengthen the core muscles, which include the back muscles. long muscles extensors. Along with your abdominal muscles, a trained core will give you the confidence to do anything. heavy exercise you will avoid the risk of injury. Secondly, a trained, strong back is the key to the health of your spine. Thirdly, a trained back creates balance for the often over-inflated pectoral muscles, which in turn is fraught with injuries to the deltoid muscles of the shoulder joint.

The very first exercise you should include in your training program is hyperextension.

Classic hyperextensions are performed in special simulator. Having rested your heels on special supports, we begin extensions, maintaining a slight deflection in the spine. At the top point of the amplitude, we avoid excessive lordosis - hyperextension of the spine. We make movements smoothly, without jerking. As you inhale, lower your body down for 2 counts, and as you exhale, lift your body up for one count. We do 15-20 repetitions. When the extensor muscles are sufficiently strengthened, you can use weights - pick up a disc, dumbbell or weight.

There are many variations of hyperextensions (on a fitball, on a horizontal bench, etc.). Some of them concentrate the load on the hamstrings and gluteal muscles, take this into account and when training to strengthen the back muscles, use hyperextensions specifically for the extensors of this part of the body.

Train your back muscles at least once a week (if you are training on a split program). If you are a beginner, one workout for all the back muscles in a strong, high-volume manner will be enough (if more often, the muscles will not have time to recover and the risk of overtraining will increase).

If you already have a certain base and you need a certain specialization, be it working on the width or thickness of the back, or you need good detailing and separation individual muscles on your back, then in your case you can split your back workout into 2 times a week. In one workout, do, for example, basic back exercises, and in another, work specifically on the lagging factor.

Try to perform a peak contraction in all exercises - hold the muscles in a contracted state for a split second at the point of amplitude with the greatest load.

Stretch your working muscles after each approach.

Basic exercises for the back muscles

Pull-ups are deservedly considered the most effective of the basic back exercises.

Wide-grip pull-ups work the latissimus dorsi muscles very well, which gives the back width and helps achieve a V-shaped contour. At the same time, pull-ups are not isolated exercise, it involves the shoulder and elbow joints, and from the muscles - in addition to the latissimus - they assist deltoids(posterior bundle), biceps brachii (biceps) and other stabilizer muscles.

Due to the fact that such things are involved large number muscle groups, this exercise effectively works on strength and mass - it causes a hormonal surge and, as a reaction to it, a noticeable anabolic effect in the form of muscle growth.

When performing pull-ups to develop the back muscles, you should try to “disable” the biceps from the work as much as possible. To do this:

There is no need to bend your elbows completely in order to get your chin over the bar (as in classic pull-ups);
You need to try to pull the bar towards your chest, bringing your shoulder blades together;
mentally concentrate on work latissimus muscles. You need to pull your body up without bending your elbows, but by pulling your elbows down.

One more nuance. During pull-ups, especially when performing many sets and repetitions, your forearms will become “clogged”, which will prevent you from performing maximum quantity reps that your lats are capable of. To avoid this, use special straps. Sure, you need strong forearms, but let's train them separately and not at the expense of training your back.

Pull-up options:

You can further concentrate the load on your lats by performing overhead pull-ups.

If you cannot do pull-ups with your own weight, use a gravitron counterweight machine. You can also ask your training partner to “push” you at first until you can perform the movement on your own.

It is a myth that pull-ups are an exclusively male exercise. Pull-ups are perfect for the fair half of humanity in developing their backs. And a wide (within reason) back perfectly emphasizes the narrowness of the waist and creates an hourglass-shaped silhouette.

Stand in front of the barbell, bend down until it is parallel to the floor. While maintaining an arch in your back, grab the barbell with a medium grip. As you exhale, pull the barbell to your belt, while inhaling, slowly and under control lower the barbell to the starting position.

You can do the exercise with reverse grip. Vary the width and type of grip in such a way as to get the maximum feel for the work of the target muscle group, namely the latissimus muscles.

T-bar row

Biomechanics exercise similar to the previous exercise. Watch your lower back and under no circumstances allow a hunched, “round” back - this can lead to spinal injury.

There are options for performing the exercise with your chest resting on the bench.

The most, so to speak, basic exercise. King of the base. An exercise that uses almost every muscle in the human body. A champion among exercises that stimulate the secretion of testosterone, which triggers anabolic processes and thereby muscle growth. The exercise is technically difficult and dangerous. This exercise is not recommended for beginners who have not mastered the technique and have not trained their core muscles. It is recommended that you learn the exercise technique under the supervision of an experienced instructor or advanced training partner.

Starting position: feet shoulder-width apart, parallel to each other. The legs are almost pressed closely to the barbell. Throughout the entire range of motion in the spine, it is necessary to maintain a slight deflection. Move your pelvis back. We grab the barbell at shoulder width. An “over-grip” is often used - one hand grasps the barbell from below, the other from above. Pulling your pelvis forward and lifting your back, lift the barbell, moving it along your shin. Mentally push the floor with your heels - this will help you perform the movement technically correctly. Straighten your back. Slowly perform the movement in reverse order.

There are many options for performing deadlifts: sumo deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, elevated deadlifts, deadlift with dumbbells, etc.

Dumbbell row with one hand, bent to the waist

Kneel on horizontal bench. Place your hand of the same name on the bench. With the other hand, pick up a dumbbell from the floor. With an energetic, but not sudden movement, by contracting the back muscles, pull the dumbbell towards the pelvic area. Do not lift the dumbbell to your chest. In this case, your biceps will bear the main load. Forget about your forearm, think of it as a hook and pull your elbow up and back through your back.

Execution option: rowing dumbbells simultaneously with both hands with chest support on an inclined bench:

Isolation exercises to develop back muscles

This classification is rather arbitrary, because exercises on block and hummer machines often involve more than one joint and can formally be considered basic. Nevertheless, these exercises, due to their biomechanics (a given trajectory and the absence of noticeable load on the stabilizer muscles), can be considered isolating.

Upper back extension exercise. Grasp the handle with a wide grip. Sit down on the bench. Lower the handle behind your head (option: to your chest) as you exhale. As you inhale, slowly lift the handle to the starting position.

Grasp the handle (options: narrow or wide grip). Sit on a bench with your legs slightly bent. Lean forward, stretching your lats. Straighten your back, but without swaying or inertia. Pull your elbows behind your back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do not move your back too far beyond the vertical and do not allow the counterweight to rise due to inertia. Slowly return to the starting position after the peak contraction. Traditionally, while pulling, exhale, and when releasing the load, inhale.

Traction in a Hummer

Hummer rows on a lever machine. As an option, alternate rows with each hand using different types of grip.

Bringing straight arms to the body in a crossover (pullover on a block)

Grasp the straight handle on the upper block of the crossover. Lean your body forward slightly, keeping your back straight. As you exhale, lower your straight arms down to your hips. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Good exercise for “finishing” after heavy basics with light weight in order to get more blood into the lats.

Exercises to increase back width

Exercises to increase back thickness and depth

1. Bent-over barbell row

2. T-bar row

3. Horizontal rods

Exercises for the back if you have problems

If you have untreated back injuries. Or if you've had a history of injuries and are concerned about recurrence, you'll obviously need to be extra careful when choosing back exercises, as well as choosing weights with care and being especially careful with your form.

Back exercises for scoliosis and osteochondrosis

If there is a curvature of the spine, axial load must be avoided.

Pull-ups
Vertical rods on the block

Important: Avoid any exercises that cause pain!

A set of exercises for the back with dumbbells

Deadlift with dumbbells
Bent-over rows of dumbbells alternately to the waist
Dumbbell row lying chest down on an incline bench
Shrugs with dumbbells for trapezius muscles

A set of exercises for the back with a barbell

Deadlift (or variations)
Bent-over barbell row
T-bar row
Shrugs on the trapeze with a barbell

Preventing injuries during back training

Healthy back is the key to your athletic longevity, so you need to be very careful about injury prevention. Choose your working weights carefully, do not chase the weight in order to surprise someone in the gym. Remember - the main thing is technique. A small amount of weight lifted with perfect form will do much more than lifting too much with the wrong technique and will save you from injury. Use a lifting (athletic) belt.

5 back exercises for girls:

Safe back training from Kostya Bublikova

For development muscle mass and forming the relief of the chest and back, you can use a lever exercise machine, an exercise on which is called the Hammer press. This auxiliary exercise is aimed at refining target muscle groups with isolated load on them.

Due to the fixed range of motion of the simulator, the work of the stabilizer muscles is reduced and the entire load falls on the chest and back, which allows you to qualitatively refine them to an ideal state.

The lever system distributes the load on each arm separately, thereby working the muscles evenly and correctly. In this connection, systematic training on the simulator, when performing exercises in correct technique, can improve the quality of the target muscle group.

One of the obvious advantages of using a simulator is the variability of its use. Each type of training allows you to develop isolated muscles that require improvement.

Types of exercises on the Hammer simulator:

1. Seated Hummer Press. The classic training option is the seated chest press, which most often is an addition to a full load with uneven pumping pectoral muscles. Together with target muscles, the work includes the shoulders and triceps. The training algorithm will be as follows:

You need to sit down at the machine and lean on the vertical backrest.
Then you should take air into your lungs to stretch the chest muscles, while the paws move towards each other.
As you exhale, you need to direct the levers of the simulator forward, doing this smoothly with concentration on the target muscles.
At the end point of the amplitude, it is necessary to fix the position for two seconds without straightening your elbows to the end.
Then you can smoothly return the machine to its original position and begin the specified number of repetitions.

2. Bench press. This deadlift option is suitable for both beginners and intermediate athletes. Training on a Hummer can prepare you for bench lifting, as it is its lightweight counterpart. When performing a bench press, the muscles of the back and chest, biceps, deltoids, and rotator cuff muscles work. Technique:

You need to lie on the machine bench, bend your knees and straighten your back.
Then you need to raise the handles of the projectile slightly above chest level and begin their smooth rise.
When lowering the handles down, not reaching the lowest point of the amplitude, you need to take a short pause to feel the muscle tension.
Repeat the bench press up to 10 times.

The biomechanics for the shoulder joints when using the Hammer on the bench press are very safe, and the body position can be adjusted to create the most favorable position. The main mistake in performing bench rows is choosing too much heavy weight, which can lead to distortion of movement technique.

3. Reverse grip rows. The rhomboid, latissimus dorsi and brachialis, as well as biceps. Technique:

You need to install the exercise machine so that its handles move in the direction of the abdomen.
Then you need to take them with a reverse grip, straightening your back.
Moving your elbows back as far as possible, you need to pull the handles towards you, while squeezing your shoulder blades.
Return the projectile to its original position.

4. Vertical thrust of the projectile from top to bottom towards the body. It is designed to work the latissimus dorsi muscle. At the same time, taking the levers with a narrow grip, the load will be concentrated on the lower area of the muscles, and with a wide grip – on the upper. It is necessary to perform deadlifts with a maximum range of motion to achieve muscle contraction. You can change the weight of the weight depending on your preparation.

5. Horizontal thrust on your back. The leverage load in this training option will affect the middle area of the back. At the same time, reliable fixation of the body will not allow the spine to experience overload. Technique:

You need to set the settings to the desired height and sit down, resting your chest on a vertical pillow.
Then you need to grab the handles with your back straight.
After which you need to pull the handles towards you, bringing your shoulder blades together.
Without leaning back, you need to smoothly lower the weight while maintaining maximum muscle tension.

The Hummer Press allows you to create an isolated load for finishing. various groups muscles, while it can be emphasized on any muscle area - lower, middle or upper. And most importantly, when using a Hummer, the risk of injury to joints and ligaments is reduced due to the constant, specified amplitude of movement of the levers.

Perhaps we should start with the anatomy of the back muscles. I discussed this issue in great detail in my . Read it. It's small.

By the way, I remembered how I had just started going to the gym, or rather, it was one of the attempts to start training.

One girl once told me at that time (I was about 18 years old) that it wouldn’t be bad for me to pump up my “wings.” In human terms, the latissimus dorsi muscles.

I have always dreamed of the press. And even though at that moment I once again failed to start training normally (I started going regularly in my third year at Uni, when I was about 20 years old), I listened.

"Those. girls like it wide back? – I thought then. Why not the abs, why not the arms, why the back?

I even asked a local jock from my dorm to teach me how to train my back, but since he absolutely did not understand “knew everything about proper training,” especially for a beginner, after a couple of such trainings I stopped training again.

Now I have no problems with my back, it is quite wide, responds well to the load, in general, the muscle group does not lag behind, in my case.

I've tried a lot various exercises and training programs with a specialization for the back, so I have some idea about effective training.

I won’t drag the cat’s tail for too long and suggest that you immediately begin the best exercises for the back muscles.

The best exercises for the back muscles

As we already understood from anatomy, the back is not one muscle, but a whole group consisting of different muscles. Some muscles are larger, others are smaller. There is some difficulty in this, because if we develop the large muscles to the maximum, they will “steal” the load from the small ones, and this will not allow us to achieve maximum results.

I’ll tell you more about this, but a little later. And now I want to note which back muscles have a particularly strong influence on our athletic appearance.

Latissimus dorsi muscles (“wings”).
Trapezius muscle (“trapezius”).
Back extensors.
Serratus muscles.

So, I ranked the muscles “in order of importance” from top to bottom. Extensors will not be able to change our appearance, so they are in the penultimate place, and the serratus muscles look very nice, but are very small, so they are in the end. The two most powerful muscles are the LATISM and TRAPEZIOUS. These are the ones we will focus on.

Now it will be very easy for us to choose exercises for training the back muscles, because... we know which muscles are most important to us. So let's consider best exercises for back development.

Latissimus dorsi ("wings")

Pull-ups (all their varieties);
Bent over dumbbell row (with hand support);
Lever pull in Hummer;

Trapezius dorsi muscle

Shrugs with dumbbells (or kettlebells);
Shrugs with a barbell (or in Smith);

Back extensors

Deadlift;

Serratus back muscles

Diagonal twists;

Competent exercise technique

The back belongs to the “pulling” muscle groups, therefore, when working on it, part of the load can be “stealed” by such muscle groups as: biceps, middle and rear delta, and even hamstrings, so you need to learn to FEEL YOUR MUSCLES. I have already said this many times in many articles.

I've looked at this in great detail. . Don't be lazy and study this issue.

Exercises for the latissimus dorsi muscles

This is the most cool exercise for the development of the latissimus dorsi muscles, which many do not do various reasons, but in vain.

This is an extremely physiological exercise for you and me, because... our ancestors were forced to spend a lot of time in the trees. However, if you believe that man appeared on Earth as a result of other circumstances, then I cannot convince you of this. But I think it’s pointless to argue that the crossbar appeared on Earth much earlier than rows and dumbbells, this is already clear

Pull-ups develop the WIDTH of the “wings”, and horizontal rows (any) develop THICKNESS (the edge of the lats thickens).

Learn to TURN OFF the BICEPS from the work when doing pull-ups (due to the “muscle feeling”) so that the biceps does not steal the load from the latissimus muscles. At each point in the pull-up movement, THINK ABOUT YOUR LATS and how they contract at each point in the movement.

If you have no problems with this, and you definitely “bomb” your lats in pull-ups, then it’s time to decide on the following points:

Grip:

Narrow;
Average;
Wide;

Brush position:

Directly;
Toward yourself (reverse grip);
Parallel;

Your weight;
With weights;
Standing on a support (in the simulator or from the hands of a partner);

The choice, as we see, is very healthy. So, in general terms:

The wider the grip= WORK WIDER more + WORK LESS.

Than already enough= BICEPS works more (back less) + WORK MORE.

WIDE OR NARROW GRIP? The narrower the grip, the greater the amplitude of movement created, but the biceps will work harder. If you have learned to feel your lats well and turn off your biceps, then you can do pull-ups with a narrow grip, because the work in this case will be stronger (greater amplitude of movement). But if you feel that your arms are getting clogged during pull-ups, then grab wider. Also, try using an “open grip” (this is when your thumb does not wrap around the bar), this will reduce the load on the forearms.

In general, try to do pull-ups with a “medium grip”, because... In this case, it will be easier to feel the lats and turn off the biceps.

WHAT IS THE POSITION OF THE BRUSHES? The more the hand is turned (supinated towards itself, as with a reverse grip), the less the load on the forearms, but we won’t be able to take a wide reverse grip because of our anatomy, and the narrower we take it, the more the biceps work. The solution is a PARALLEL GRIP (on a horizontal ladder, for example). This way the hand will be supinated and you can take it wider.

PULL UP TO YOUR CHEST OR BEHIND YOUR HEAD? If you pull yourself up by your head, you use fewer back muscles than when you pull yourself up to your chest. But the advantage of doing head pull-ups is that this way you get more involved in the work. upper muscles backs. In short, chest pull-ups involve more muscles into work (a more basic exercise), and behind the head, it focuses on the upper back muscles (more isolating). At the initial stage, I would not bother with this issue and would pull myself up to my chest.

SHOULD I ADD WEIGHTS OR NOT? In order for muscles to grow, you need PROGRESSION OF LOAD. If the load does not increase, then there is no point in the muscles increasing, because... this is a very energy-intensive process. There are a couple of clarifications. First, you should add weights when your technique is perfect (you feel great about your lats). And secondly, you should work in the range of 6-12 repetitions (approximately), so when you can already do pull-ups with perfect form more than 12-15 times, then it’s worth increasing the weight.

These are, one might say, “lightweight pull-ups.” Everything I said about grips, hand position, load, etc. all this applies to this exercise. For beginners, this exercise is BETTER than pull-ups, because, as a rule, they cannot yet do pull-ups properly. Moreover, with this exercise it is easier to control the load and contraction of the lats. If you are an advanced lifter, you should definitely include this exercise in your arsenal AFTER your pull-ups to further fatigue your lats.

This exercise belongs to the “horizontal rows”, i.e. builds the latissimus dorsi muscles IN THICKNESS. The main thing in absolutely all deadlifts is a straight back! This will save you from injury, and will also allow you to work your latissimus muscles more specifically.

Almost everything that I said in pull-ups about the grip is also true for bent-over barbell rows, but there is one BUT. If you take a reverse grip on the barbell and perform deadlifts, you will notice that your elbows do not spread out to the sides, but move in parallel, accordingly, the latissimus muscles can be better felt, but the BICEPS also work stronger. When we take a straight grip, the elbows spread more strongly (especially with a narrow grip), so the trapezius and rear delta are more involved in the work. Such things.

Now about the tilt:

Stronger tilt= BACK works more;
Less tilt= TRAPEZE works more;

In my opinion and experience, it is best to grab with a MEDIUM STRAIGHT GRIP and about 20-30 degrees from horizontal (i.e. ALMOST parallel to the floor). The back MUST be straight, and the bar moves parallel to the bent hips.

Almost the same as bent over rows. But here a deeper study of the inner part of the back (between the shoulder blades) is given. In fact, this is simply a more convenient version of the bent-over barbell row.

There are a lot of different T-bar pulls. The main ones are in the STANDING and LYING positions. When you perform the exercise while standing, it is practically the same as the bent-over row of a barbell, it’s just more convenient, but when LYING, a number of inconveniences already begin, because For a competent contraction of the lats, you NEED DEFLECTION IN THE BACK (in the scapular region), and this is difficult to do while lying down.

In general, if you have a standing T-bar, then you can choose it as an alternative to bent-over barbell rows, but if you have a bench press, then it’s better not to do it, especially at the initial stage.

Bent-over dumbbell row (with arm support)

The technique for performing the exercise should be as follows:

Lean forward and grab the dumbbell right hand, with your left hand and left leg bent at the knee, you need to lean on the bench, and right leg is set back.
The movement of the hand must be STRICTLY VERTICAL, and the movement must be carried out PARALLEL TO THE BODY (the hand does not move to the side).
The body does not change position! THE BACK IS ALWAYS STRAIGHT (bended in the opposite direction!).

There is a wider range of motion here than with the bent-over barbell row, because... the bar does not interfere with raising the elbow above the lower back. More work and muscle contraction. Support with your knee and hand allows you to unload the spine. And also, because The exercise is performed with one hand, then you can feel your muscles better.

Lever pull in Hummer

Hammer-type exercise machines appeared not so long ago, but have successfully entered all modern fitness centers. This is a great exercise and variation of the horizontal row. The exercise is similar to a one-arm dumbbell row, but because your body is vertical, it is easier to perform and the weight can be lifted heavier.

It is believed that this exercise specifically affects the lower latissimus muscles, but this is very conditional, because The emphasis of the load will depend on where you pull the handle.

Pull towards the navel= BOTTOM LAT works;
Pull to your chest= UPPER LATISM works;

But it will be easiest to pull towards the navel, hence this statement.

A few more tips on the technique of performing this exercise. I very often see how exactly this exercise is performed and I don’t even understand how!

My version of this is: Sit with your back straight (slightly arched back at the shoulder blades), lean forward to stretch your lats. Now pull the handle towards you while simultaneously returning your body to a vertical position. VERY IMPORTANT!!! You should pull EXACTLY WITH THE WIDEST, NOT WITH THE CASE! Those. There is no need to pull the handle towards you with your whole body, and then, by inertia, bring it towards you with your hands. The movement begins with PULLING YOUR SHOULDERS BACK, then pull the handle towards you, feeling the lats at each point, and return the body to a vertical position.

Exercises for the trapezius muscle of the back

I have already discussed this issue in great detail in an article about . But repetition, as they say, is the mother of learning.

Shrugs with dumbbells (or kettlebells) or with a barbell (or Smith)

Shrugs from English. shrug - “shaking.” This exercise really looks like a shrug. We must move the shoulder blades vertically upward. This is the main function of the trapezius muscle. So, the more you lean forward, the more load will go from above to its middle parts (between the shoulder blades). Beginners DO NOT NEED this exercise AT ALL, because... So far, at the beginning, there is no point in worrying about relatively small muscles.

It's better to focus on your lats, chest, for example, and legs. The most important thing when performing shrugs is NOT TO ROTATE YOUR SHOULDERS!!! The movement must be strictly up and down. Our shoulders are poorly adapted to rotational movements, so we can get injured very easily. And in general there is no point in rotation, because... This does not in any way speed up the growth of the trapezius. Hold the dumbbells in your hands or a barbell in front of you and perform the movements as if you were shrugging your shoulders, moving them straight UP and DOWN, so you will feel how your trapezius contracts.

Back Extensor Exercises

Deadlift

An exercise that is highly overrated for growing back muscles. It has a concentrated effect on the back extensors, which are not so large compared to the lats and trapezius.

It works on so many muscles, quads, glutes, back extensors, etc. But for back growth in general, this exercise is at the bottom of my list. I believe it should be done at the end of a workout.

The back is always straight. The bar should move strictly along the legs. Grip straight, shoulder-width apart or slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Be sure to use a weightlifting belt and deadlifts so as not to develop a hernia. Look in front of you, butt down, knees bent. At the same time we straighten our legs, back and lift the barbell along our legs.

This exercise works the spinal extensors quite well, but I put it at the very end because... You shouldn’t overdo it with it, you can very well injure your lower back just by slightly pulling your body up at the bottom point, so you need to progress the weights very carefully.

There are many variations of this exercise, but I will tell you about the one that I think is the best, when you lie face down with your legs secured to the bolsters.

The back is straight, you lower yourself down and, feeling the tension in the lumbar region, rise up, contracting the extensors of the spine.

This exercise is best done as additional exercise for abdominal training, because the spinal extensors are antagonists of the abdominal muscles, which means the abs will receive better recovery.

OK. As you can see, there are plenty of exercises. But how to pump up your back muscles if we are talking about a specific workout?

How to pump up your back. Back training program

As you understand, training program- a very individual thing, especially when we talk about how to pump up the back muscles, because this is a very large muscle group. More than half of the questions that I receive by email and in comments are questions related to the training program.

I considered in great detail the issue of choosing a training program .

I want you to understand that almost any program will work at a certain time and on a certain person. I can only give a training program that will suit the MOST.

Rules for creating a training program for the back:

Mostly BASIC EXERCISES.
UPPER + LOWER LINK (to develop muscles in width and thickness).
HEAVY WEIGHTS(for 6-12 repetitions + load progression).

So, the very first complex for a beginner will look like this ( COMPLEX No. 1):

All? Yes, that's it. These two exercises will be enough to avoid overtraining and cause a great response in your lats. You can do these exercises for six months or a year and not worry. There will be wonderful growth.

The next option is for a beginner ( COMPLEX No. 2):

Deadlifting will stimulate the growth of your back extensors, as well as the growth of your body as a whole, because... it increases blood circulation in the lower body, which promotes increased testosterone production. The trapezoid is also strongly involved in the work, which will also contribute to its excellent growth.

Another option for the intermediate level:

Well, the third option for the intermediate level:

So, I want to point out very important point! You shouldn’t switch to using 3 or 4 exercises if you are progressing well with just two exercises! There is no need to change what works great.

Now several ADVANCED COMPLEXES for people using a very deep split (splitting the body for 4 or 5 training days), COMPLEX No. 4:

Another option for the advanced athlete:

Or the third, also a cool option for an advanced athlete:

There are a huge number of advanced complexes, but I brought those closer to ordinary people, i.e. for those who are already quite well trained, but do not use steroids (on steroids the volume training load You can safely multiply by two).

Many professional athletes divide their backs into two training days. On the first day they do vertical rods, pull-ups, etc., i.e. exercises that increase the width of the back, and on the second day, various horizontal rows that increase the width of the back muscles, but, as you understand, the average person does not need this.

How to pump up your back muscles. About combining back training with other muscles

The question is very important, because... directly affects your progress. Many people train 2-3 times a week, which simply does not allow for a separate day for their back. Although the back deserves a separate day for training, because it is the LARGEST MUSCLE GROUP in our upper body, and the second largest in our body (after the legs). That is why I decided to consider this issue in detail.

So, how to combine back training with other muscles?

I would combine it this way:

BACK + DELTS(do not interfere with each other, because the shoulders push and the back pulls);
BACK + CHEST(antagonists, work well together, Arnold’s method);
BACK + BICEPS(classic push-pull split, both pulling groups);
BACK + REAR DELTS(professional method, then train CHEST + FRONT DELTOUS);

BACK + HANDS - this is not very good, because... Most likely you are undertraining one of these muscle groups; I would better connect the back with the shoulders (deltas). In general, try to set aside a separate day for your back if your fitness levels are already high enough.

Some important issues worth highlighting

At this point, the topic of back training is almost covered, but I feel that some questions may still arise. I decided to collect all the questions that I was once asked about back training and highlight them below:

“If after I trained my back over the next few days it doesn’t hurt, does it mean that I didn’t receive the necessary microtraumas for growth?”

Indeed, the pain next days in a previously trained muscle group speaks of microtraumas that will lead to growth, but this is NOT AN OBLIGATORY SIGN OF GROWTH! The better trained you are, the less pain you will feel. The sign of growth is an increase in load! If the load is constantly growing, then you are growing.

“Should I stretch my back extra between sets?”

Yes. This works great because... In this way, the muscular fascia of the back muscles is additionally stretched, there is better blood supply, and, accordingly, better growth.

“Which exercise for developing the back do you consider the best, if you can only do one exercise on the back?”

Of course, pull-ups. They perfectly grow the latissimus muscles in width.

“Which exercise is better to choose to increase the thickness of the lats: bent-over barbell row or bent-over dumbbell row?”

It’s better, in my opinion, to do bent-over barbell rows, because... It’s easier to progress the load there.

“If you have to combine your back with another muscle group, which one?”

With deltas. Or with biceps (NOT WITH HANDS). This is perhaps the most popular combination.

“What should I do if my wrists hurt a lot while doing pull-ups and vertical block rows?”

Experiment with grips, reverse or straight. Also, a parallel grip easily solves this problem. Well, the traction (straps) should help a lot.

“Do I need to use a belt for bent-over barbell and dumbbell rows?”

I use the belt in almost all exercises where I feel tension in the abdominal cavity (except for abdominal training, of course). This avoids intervertebral hernia and increasing the waist. Why do you need a big belly?

Conclusions

Hmm, well, that's all, friends. Today we looked at how to pump up your back in great detail.

If something was not clear to you or you still have any questions, then ask them in the comments.

The back is a muscle group that should definitely be emphasized, because... it gives our figure an impressive look. Happy training!

P.S. Subscribe to blog updates. It will only get worse.

With respect and best wishes,!

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This is the final part about the back, I’ll look at the remaining exercises.
The first exercise will be the horizontal block row.
Let's look at it first, using this video as an example.
In general, the guy in the video talks about trapezoids and the load on them, but we’ll just take the example of this video, since many people work in a similar way, without at all trying to get into the trapezoid.
Let's start with the fact of how he squeezes his shoulders; if your task is to load the back as a whole, and not just the trapezius, and also in many ways the upper part of it, then you absolutely cannot do this. As soon as you tuck your shoulders, you turn on the top of the trapezius and change the vector of movement, from horizontal, it becomes diagonal, that is, you will only load the upper back. The shoulders should be in a natural position, and the handle will go to the stomach, and not to the bottom of the chest, as in the video.
The next point is the tilt of the body. I use another video because the patient is not cheating there.
Essentially, the same thing, as the body deviates, the load goes to the very top of the back, the more we lean back, the more we vector the movement along the body, and turn the movement into shrugs.
In the classic version, the tilt of the body should be either zero, that is, you sit straight, or even a slightly negative tilt towards the block, then you turn off your upper back more and transfer the load to the middle and bottom.
In movement, you need to strive to bring your shoulder blades together, but you need to do this by bringing your elbow as close to the body as possible, you don’t need to rake your arms across the sides.
One more point - too much narrow grip, I sometimes see how people remove the classic handle from the block for pulling the block and hang, for example, handles from a crossover, with which they do data on the chest.
Actually, like in the first video, at the beginning, but in the middle of the video he still changes the handle.
With such a handle, the grip turns out to be very narrow, and then when moving, your elbows will be strongly turned outward. This position of the elbows does not allow the back muscles to contract as much as possible. Try doing rows with this super-narrow grip, and then spread your arms a little wider, to a standard grip, slightly narrower than your shoulders, thereby pressing your elbows to your body, and you will feel the difference in the contraction of the back muscles.
Regarding the wide grip, I have a rather negative attitude towards this type of grip; it greatly shortens the amplitude and puts the muscles of the middle back in a disadvantageous position, transferring more of the load to outer part back, and there are better exercises for this. In addition, the rear beam is also more strongly involved in the work.
Let's also consider cheating. This exercise is often cheated, but it is done fundamentally incorrectly.
Cheating in such a row is allowed, as in the bent-over barbell row, but with a “rollback”, even below the working angle and returning to it during cheating. That is, cheating is not like in the first video at 0:33, then we do the same thing as described above - we create a tilt of the body that transfers the load to the trapezius.
We lower ourselves in the opposite direction, towards the block, by 20 degrees, and make a jerk, reaching a vertical position of the body, where the main part of the work of the back occurs. At the same time, do not cheat as a means of lifting a weight that is not suitable for lifting, then the movement will be jerky, jerky, without negativity. Cheating is used on moderate weights as a method of intensification, and despite it, you still do smooth negative and positive.
Sometimes you hear advice to let the weight pull the arms completely, so that the shoulders move forward, supposedly to stretch the muscle. I do not recommend doing this, precisely because the back muscles are stretched too much, and as a result, at the extreme point of stretching, they are in a disadvantageous position for inclusion, and a weight loss will strongly involve the synergistic muscles: deltoids and biceps. In general, you work in full amplitude, straightening your arms, but without fanaticism, your shoulders should remain approximately at the same point, and your back muscles should not be overstretched.
In general, we have already covered all the main exercises, but they also asked me to talk about hummers. Here I will rather describe not the errors, but the features of setting up the simulators.
For starters - a horizontal hummer
This is an imitation of any horizontal rods, barbell, block, it doesn’t matter.
First of all, how do you sit in it? It’s best, as with horizontal traction, to sit either strictly straight, slightly arching your lower back and putting your butt back, or even with a slight tilt forward, leaning your chest on the front... pillow... I don’t know what it’s called, in short, this one crap.
Further, if this “crap” in your simulator is adjustable, then it should be set so that before removing the weight, your arms would be in a slightly more elongated position than the one in which they will be located, in the working amplitude. That is, you pull a little towards the weight. Then, having pulled it off with the help of a pedal or a partner, you will automatically find yourself at the extreme point of the working amplitude. If the “crap” is placed too far from you, then your working amplitude will be artificially shortened, and if it is too close to you, you will have to remove the weight while standing, then sit down with it, and holding it in your hands, try to - take the correct position.
Grip width. Of course, there are different designs, but if yours involves changing the grip width, then I would recommend a grip at shoulder width or slightly narrower. This is exactly the grip that will allow you to concentrate the load on the middle of your back as much as possible, and at the same time, will allow you to work in the longest amplitude.
By the way, if there are vertical and horizontal handles, then I would rather give preference to the vertical option, when the thumb looks up while gripping.
What seat height should I set? Its height determines to which part of the body the handles of the simulator will be attached. The lower they go, the lower the load is distributed. In the classic version, when your task is to distribute the load across your back relatively evenly, your hands, at the point of maximum back contraction, will be slightly lower than your chest, approximately at the level of your upper abs.
But if you want to somehow change the direction of the load, you can lower the seat lower, bringing the arms to the chest, and thereby loading the upper back more, or vice versa, raise it, transferring the load lower.
Otherwise, the rules are the same as everywhere else, elbows along the body and no need to work with the body, trying to throw the weight. Throughout the movement, you do not lift your chest from the “crap”. This is the meaning of the hummer, maximum isolation of movement and maximum control. Twitch on other exercises, in the hammer you have to do it clean.
And consider such a thing as a vertical hummer
The machine is excellent, its main advantage is that the separate handles do not force you to “dodge” them, as in the pull-down, and you can hit the lats much better.
Actually about the setup. In fact, there is nothing special to talk about here, the only point that I would like to note is the location of your loved one on the seat. You should sit directly under the handles, so that as you move down, your arms are straight to the side of your body. This is the whole point, on a regular block you would hit yourself in the head with the handle, but here you can sit under the handles, bring your hands evenly and efficiently to the body, through the sides. No cheating or bending, perfect technique will ensure a perfect hit to the lats.
Let's like and make the old Jew happy!

Leverage is high effective exercise, which is technically easier to perform than many other exercises that develop the back muscles. It's also safer similar exercises, for example, dumbbell rows or. The row exercise in a lever simulator is aimed at developing the latissimus muscles and effectively widens and thickens the back. There are two types of simulator, as well as options for performing the exercise. Let's look at the features of each of them.

Advantages and disadvantages of traction in a hummer

The main advantage of lever arms is the lack of stress on the spine. The hummer row allows you to work your back muscles as efficiently as possible due to the large range of motion. When performing this exercise, the latissimus muscles are well stretched and contracted. This exercise increases the width of your back and also creates a V-shaped silhouette. Traction in a lever trainer allows you to work with large scales. This type Athletes with back problems can use deadlifts in training. This is possible due to the support and fixation of the spine throughout the entire range of motion.

But there is still a fly in the ointment! Even though this exercise relieves stress from the back, it is not recommended for those athletes who have shoulder injuries.

What muscles work

Also to work indirectly involved the following muscles:

Types of grip in the lever pull in the simulator

There are three grips: horizontal, vertical and intermediate, in which the brush is at an angle of 45 degrees.

When performing deadlifts horizontal grip the load is focused on the upper back, namely the trapezius muscles, teres major and minor, latissimus and rhomboid muscles, and posterior deltoid muscles.
Vertical grip, in addition to the latissimus muscles, focuses on the rhomboid and teres muscles.
Intermediate The same grip is rarely found in gyms due to the design of the machines. As such, it does not have an effect on a specific muscle group.

Horizontal thrust in a hummer

This exercise is reminiscent of. Of course, pulling in a hummer is much more convenient to perform, and the athlete does not receive stress on the spine thanks to the support that fixes the torso.

To perform the exercise correctly and get maximum effect from performing deadlifts, you should set up the machine correctly. To perform the exercise you need to take a sitting position. The seat depth should be adjusted so that your hands are at the level of the elbow joint when moving. If the hands are higher during the movement, the biceps will be involved in the work.

emphasis for chest located at the level solar plexus.
The lower back should be in a natural arch, just like upper part backs.
While performing the exercise (pulling the levers towards you), exhale, while you need to bend thoracic region and bring your shoulder blades closer to each other.
The elbows should be pressed as close to the torso as possible during the pull. This nuance will ensure maximum load on the latissimus dorsi muscles.
You should return to the starting position slowly. The stretch of the latissimus muscle should be maximum - with the arm straightened elbow joint. There is no need to return the lever to its support. Inhale while returning the levers.

The movement must be performed concentrated and smoothly. The technique should not contain jerks or sudden, fast movements. Sudden movements will activate, which, in turn, will reduce the effectiveness of traction, and can also easily lead to injury.

Features of traction in a hummer with one hand

Lever pull machines allow you to work with one hand. Sometimes working with one hand will be more relevant due to the performance of more concentrated movements. When performing deadlifts with one hand, you need to fix the position of the body with your free hand. Pay attention to the fixation of the hand in the peak position of the amplitude. Usually, when performing an exercise with one hand, the body rotates following the movement of the hand, thereby connecting the biceps and.

Upper hummer thrust

Traction in a vertical type simulator is very reminiscent. This version of the exercise is considered more “advanced”, since in a lever simulator the exercise can be performed with one hand. If you compare the work of the muscles, there is no difference in the exercises, and even the deadlift upper block You can also do it with one hand. This deadlift option is suitable for those athletes who cannot perform. The technique of execution is absolutely the same as when performing lat pull-downs.

While performing the movement, your back should be kept straight and your lower back should be arched.
Exhale while pulling the weight down.
And inhale while returning the load upward.

To further engage the latissimus dorsi, you can lean your torso slightly forward.

Lever technique in video format

In the training process, rows in the simulator should be placed as the second or third exercise after pull-ups. For beginners or athletes who cannot do pull-ups, the lever machine row can be used as a .

Here is an example of training the back muscles, the sequence of exercises and rowing in a lever machine as the final exercise.

Pull-ups.
Upper block pull (behind the head).
Rows in a lever machine (vertical grip).

Athletes of a certain level physical training , you can perform exercises in the range of three to four sets of 8-12 repetitions.

For beginner athletes the number of approaches can be reduced to 2-3, and the number of repetitions performed in the range of 12-15.

For physically unprepared women, this exercise will not be a good option. It can be replaced with various traction options, both in block simulators and with sports equipment (free weights). Lever traction may be of interest to athletes of the fairer sex who have reached high level physical training. The exercise is performed as the main one in back training. The number of approaches should be limited to three, the repetition range from 15 to 20.

For most people gym the classic training scheme is suitable, which consists of 4 approaches and 12 repetitions, not counting warm-up approach, of course.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, not all athletes have such simulators at their disposal. There is no substitute for this exercise at home. In any case, it is just as safe for the spine. When performing rows on a lever machine, do not neglect. The first approach should be performed with light weight and the muscles should be stretched properly, even if this is not the first exercise in training process, since rowing on a lever machine stretches the back muscles more than other exercises.