Back to the Basics: The Greatest Exercises for a Stunning Back

Basic moves that lead to incredible results!

All too often, we tend to focus on the muscles we can see. I’m talking legs, arms, abs, and during bikini season, the booty. There’s nothing wrong with giving these body parts a little extra attention, but sometimes this can cause us to neglect other equally important muscle groups. In this case, we’re referring to your back muscles! While we don’t typically think of the back as an aesthetic part of the body, tightening and toning these muscles can leave you with an incredibly sexy physique. These exercises for a stunning back are a must-have in your workout repertoire!

A Back Workout that Improves More than Your Appearance

One of the major benefits of working out regularly is improving your appearance. Not only will weight training a few times per week help you lose weight and tone up, but it also has other benefits like improving your posture. This can have a huge, positive impact on your appearance, and it will also lead to a decreased risk of injury when performing everyday movements! 

Your back is made up of several different muscles, each of which has a unique role to play in terms of functionality. These muscles help you stand up straight, bend over, lift heavy items, twist and turn, and more! Strong back muscles will make you more athletic functionally and physically. 

Back to the Basics: The Greatest Exercises for a Stunning Back

We’re not going to over-complicate things, but we do want to give you an at-home option as well as an in-the-gym option. 

If you’re performing this workout from home, you’ll need at least two sets of dumbbells (one set of medium weights and one set of heavy weights). Keep in mind the specific weight varies from person to person. You will also need a set of resistance bands with handles with a door anchor, as well as a sturdy bench, cooler, or coffee table for single-arm dumbbell rows. 

If you’re doing this routine in the gym, you can utilize the cable machines instead of resistance bands, or use resistance bands that the gym supplies.

What to do: Perform three sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting for 20 seconds between sets. Completes all three sets of each exercise before moving on to the next. (For example: complete all three sets of dumbbell rows before moving on to the seated lat pull-downs.)

We’ve included instructional videos below to show you exactly how to perform each move. Be sure to watch them before you begin to avoid injury!

At-Home Version

1. Single-Arm Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows (with the “medium” weight dumbbells)
2. Resistance Band Seated Lat Pull-Down (using the door anchor)
3. Dumbbell Deadlifts (with the “heavy” weight dumbbells)
4. Resistance Band Seated Rows (with the band anchored on your feet)
5. Resistance Band Straight-Arm Pull-Over  (using the door anchor)

In-the-Gym Version

1. Single-Arm Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows (with the “medium” weight dumbbells)
2. Cable System Seated Lat Pull-Down (with wide grip bar)
3. Dumbbell Deadlifts (with the “heavy” weight dumbbells)
4. Cable System Seated Rows (with triangle handle)
5. Cable System Pull-Over (with rope handle)

Instructional Videos for At-Home Exercises

Single-Arm Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows

Resistance Band Seated Lat Pull-Down

Dumbbell Deadlifts (At-home and In-the-Gym routines)

Resistance Band Seated Rows

Resistance Band Straight-Arm Pull-Over

Instructional Videos for In-the-Gym Exercises

Cable System Seated Lat Pull-Down

In-the-Gym Cable System Seated Rows

Cable System Pull-Over

If you enjoyed these exercises for a stunning back, we think you might also like to try:

• 10-Minute Back Routine to Help Improve Posture and Boost Confidence
• 7 Day Back & Shoulders Challenge
• Firm Your Back and Biceps with these 8 Essential Moves

Don’t forget to train your chest muscles, either! Check out the Best Exercises for a Natural Breast Lift!

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