Heavy Back Training with Cool Band Variations

I love training back.

In my programming, I like to incorporate a lot of back training because it balances the body and kills three birds with one stone; a bigger back, bigger arms and more muscular balance.

Like all other muscle groups, your back musculature responds well to variety; variety in exercises, “tools”, intensity and angles.  So when you attack back, you want to come at it from all fronts.

Best Back Exercises

1. Deadlifts – all variations
2. Row Variations – seated rows, bent over rows, side rows, prone rows, etc.
3. Pull-ups / Chin-ups – all variations, all angles, all different grips
4. Upper Back Fly / Row Variations – high rep posterior flyes, face pulls, face pulls with external rotation, DeFranco pull-aparts, band pull aparts (you’ll see these a lot in my warm-ups)

Here is a great superset that I like to use because it combines heavier weights – with low reps – and lighter weights – with higher reps.  This perfect one-two punch stimulates muscular growth and builds some serious endurance.

You’ll notice with the flye variations, I am attacking the back from many different angles.  If you’re tight in the back, you can spend your time between sets with various upper back foam rolling and / or thoracic extension drills on bench. (Check out AMPED Warm-up for tons of drills to unlock your body)