The back is one of the largest muscles which is divided into so many parts :
The intertransversari muscles : and are the small muscles located in between the transverse processes of our vertabrae , and each one have a particular function those muscles are located mainly on the neck, and it facilitate all the movement between the individual vertebrae .
The Multifidus Spine Muscles : Located just superficially to the spine itself, the Multifiidus muscle spans three joint segments and works to stabilize these joints at each level .
The Trapezius Muscles : Is a large part of muscle tissue that extends from occiptal bone till the lower thoracic vertebrae of the spine , it has a major role in movement and support of the arm and scapula, and its very important muscle for the back .
The Latissimus Dorsi : flat shaped and large muscle on the back stretches to the sides , behind the arm and a part of it is covered by the Trapezius Muscle in the midline of the back .
The last one Lumbar muscles : also known as Lower spine as its located in the lower portion of the back .
Exercise 1 :
Wide Grip Lateral Pull Down x 4 sets
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
- As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Caution : Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
- After a second at the contracted position squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Exercise 2
Close Grip Front Lateral Pull down x 4 sets
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you – while holding the bar at the chosen grip width – bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
- As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Caution : Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary (only the arms should move). The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull the bar down using the forearms.
- After a second in the contracted position, while squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Exercise 3
V-Bar Pull Down
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.
- Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the V-bar with the palms facing each other (a neutral grip). Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly (around 30-degrees) in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
- Using your lats, pull the bar down as you squeeze your shoulder blades. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion. Tip: Keep the torso stationary throughout the movement.
- After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Exercise 4 :
Seated Cable Rows x 4 sets :
- For this exercise you will need access to a low pulley row machine with a V-bar. Note: The V-bar will enable you to have a neutral grip where the palms of your hands face each other. To get into the starting position, first sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked.
- Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
- With your arms extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs. Your back should be slightly arched and your chest should be sticking out. You should be feeling a nice stretch on your lats as you hold the bar in front of you. This is the starting position of the exercise.
- Keeping the torso stationary, pull the handles back towards your torso while keeping the arms close to it until you touch the abdominals. Breathe out as you perform that movement. At that point you should be squeezing your back muscles hard. Hold that contraction for a second and slowly go back to the original position while breathing in.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Exercise 5 :
One Arm Dumbbell Row x 4 sets
- Choose a flat bench and place a dumbbell on each side of it.
- Place the right leg on top of the end of the bench, bend your torso forward from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, and place your right hand on the other end of the bench for support.
- Use the left hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and hold the weight while keeping your lower back straight. The palm of the hand should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Pull the resistance straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side and keeping the torso stationary. Breathe out as you perform this step. Caution :Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. Also, make sure that the force is performed with the back muscles and not the arms. Finally, the upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the dumbbell; therefore do not try to pull the dumbbell up using the forearms.
- Lower the resistance straight down to the starting position. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
- Switch sides and repeat again with the other arm .
Note : 4 sets on each arm .
Exercise 6 :
Wide Grip Pull Behind the Neck x 4 sets
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso and head forward. Think of an imaginary line from the center of the bar down to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
- As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches the back of your neck by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Caution : Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
- After a second on the contracted position squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Exercise 7
Back Extensions x 4 sets
- Lie face down on a hyperextension bench, tucking your ankles securely under the footpads.
- Adjust the upper pad if possible so your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist without any restriction.
- With your body straight, cross your arms in front of you (my preference) or behind your head. This will be your starting position. Caution : You can also hold a weight plate for extra resistance in front of you under your crossed arms.
- Start bending forward slowly at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back flat. Inhale as you perform this movement. Keep moving forward until you feel a nice stretch on the hamstrings and you can no longer keep going without a rounding of the back. Caution :Never round the back as you perform this exercise. Also, some people can go farther than others. The key thing is that you go as far as your body allows you to without rounding the back.
- Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position as you inhale. Caution : Avoid the temptation to arch your back past a straight line. Also, do not swing the torso at any time in order to protect the back from injury.
- Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions .
Back is a very important muscle as its one of the largest muscles which you need to concentrate
on and it should be treated well , and its advised that with the back session Biceps it can be also planned as a secondary program along with the back in the same session .