Training Anatomy – Back Muscles, Part 2, the Exercises

But before we get to demonstrating the exercises, let's go over the most important information, because even though there's a link to the first part of the post, there will be many who will skip reading the first chapter, even if it means screwing themselves over.

1. Never skip back day. Women, do you hear me? This is primarily for you. Go for a back workout once a week.
2. Working out your back muscles optically improves the overall appearance of your body, improves posture, and it's beneficial to have a strong, well-maintained musculature protecting your spine and vertebrae, which affect every part of your body.
3. Practice back muscle exercises with a personal trainer. You can choose the right trainer by asking 3 simple questions. Ask them these 3 questions:

– Why is back muscle training important?

– Considering anatomical aspects, which areas of the back muscles are essential to work out to achieve a complete workout and optimal proportions?

– What exactly are the deep muscles surrounding our spine, and what exercises can be done for them?

Now, then. If the trainer you've chosen, no matter how much of an expert they consider themselves to be, is such an ass-clown that they can't answer even one of these questions, or you can tell they have no idea what you're talking about, then simply stand up, give them a disdainful look, and leave them the hell alone, because it's highly likely they have no clue what they're doing.

But you need the best. Or if not the best, at least someone who can safely teach you the correct execution of exercises, which is a basic requirement for back muscle training.

4. I don't feel like writing it again. Click on the first part of the post if you're interested in the rest of the information, you'll find everything there.

Inner third deep muscles – The preparation

This is the foundation. Until these deep muscles are strengthened, I would literally not let anyone do any back day, especially not spiced with weights.

First step, here's a series of 5 deep muscle strengthening exercises that are a perfect entry point for back muscle training. If you can't perform these properly, don't even think about starting to do lat pulldowns or rowing with weights on machines.

• Start with exercise 1 and gradually work your way up to point 5, but not all in one workout day.
• Do 4×12 of each exercise. This will be the basic set count.
• For beginners, this is mandatory. For non-beginners, too; in fact, I'd make a few highly knowledgeable, gym-lounging warriors do this, just to wipe that smug smile off the faces of some conceited peacocks. I'd bet a large sum that 8 out of 10 gym-goers wouldn't be able to do this correctly, without struggling.

Deep Muscle Exercise 1

You lie on the floor and lift your arms and legs simultaneously. It seems simple, but you'll find out. You'll realize what I was talking about around the end of the second set.

Deep Muscle Exercise 2

You're lying down in the same way, but now you're going to lift the opposite arm and leg. This is also a concentration exercise; we're starting to play with body coordination here, which every woman desperately needs, if I'm judging by their driving techniques and the art of their lane changes.

Deep Muscle Exercise 3

Start with very light weights. 2 or 3 kilograms will be plenty.

Deep Muscle Exercise 4

Exercises performed on a fitball are particularly tricky, as almost the entire body has to work just to maintain your balance on it, plus the exercise itself, which in this case is lifting from a negative range. It's best if your arms are in line with your spine. That's how high you need to lift, no further. NO FURTHER.

Deep Muscle Exercise 5

Brutal. Very brutal.

So, if you go to a trainer, make sure you do this. Even if they object. If they object a lot, then ask them why they're such an asshole.

Back muscle – middle third

If I were a conceited expert sniffing my own farts right now, as a very large percentage of personal trainers are, I'd pepper this post with various technical terms just so everyone could see what a pro I am. But I don't give a damn. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of me; what matters is that you get valuable information, and that I explain to a layperson in an understandable way what you need to do and why. Most experts don't want to help; they just start showing off with jargon. I'm sure it's effective, but no one cares about it, and you won't understand what they're talking about anyway.

So, trapezius transverse. LOOOOOL. So, upper back muscle. This gives the upper back its width, which creates that diamond shape.

And right here, my statement that working out every muscle group is incredibly important is immediately proven true, because no matter how much you shape your shoulders, if they're not connected to a wide upper back that perfectly highlights them and gives them their form. Being a good woman means proportionality. Put that sentence on your fridge.

Side raises in side support

You can also do this on a bench, just make sure you lie flat. Ankle, hip, ribs in one line, and keep them that way. If you do it on a bench, the end of the bench should be at your armpit. Nowhere else.

Lying pull-ups

Back exercises are among the most difficult. They are difficult because they require precise execution, and since no one does them, or only very rarely, it will be a big pain. Exactly like this exercise. I'm not going to lie, I hate back day too. I hate it terribly, but that's how it is. No relationship is easy, yet we push through it.

Close-grip pull-ups

Pull-ups are one of the three founding fathers. Push-ups, squats, pull-ups. These three movements are the basis of all exercises. That's why it wouldn't be a bad idea if everyone learned these three movements thoroughly. For example, if physical education in elementary schools in Hungary even minimally resembled professionalism, then this could be learned at the age of 10-12, but we can't talk about professionalism, only massive jerking off and utter indifference in sweatpants, and I think that describes 97% of physical education teachers.

You won't be doing pull-ups, I'm telling you now, especially not correctly, so I'm not even asking you to do them. The reason this exercise is here anyway is because in better gyms, these machines are equipped with counterweights, and this will be a big help. First, start with a resistance equal to your body weight. So if you weigh 70 kg, set the counterweight to 70 kg, and then gradually progress from there.

Bent-over kettlebell sawing

Before there's any misunderstanding. Kettlebell is a training method that makes me smile, BUT. And here comes a huge but. Squats, lunges, and core-strengthening exercises are particularly advantageous with it due to its specific grip. It's an excellent exercise.

Bent-over sawing on machine

It's a very useful exercise, but in 10 years, I've never seen a woman do this exercise. They will never do it, simply because it's too masculine. Men don't use the pec deck machine, and women won't use this either. In any case, it's good to know that it's an effective and excellent exercise.

Sawing

Every muscle group has a huge star, and for the back muscles, it's sawing. This exercise enjoys incredible popularity, and it's one of those rare cases where something is both popular and effective. Usually, what's effective is difficult, so few people do it, but sawing somehow managed to combine the two, for which it deserves immense respect. So, respect it too, and do it.

Back muscle – outer third

Cable rowing

Straight back, shoulder girdle retraction, and pulling to stomach height. I guess "shoulder girdle retraction" is where your pupils dilated, but that's why you need personal trainers, right?

Machine rowing, high grip (upper back defender)

I hate it terribly, but it's effective. The good thing is that you can do it with alternating hands, and if I may ask, please do it that way. 12 sets just to the right, then just to the left. Everyone will love it, you'll see.

Machine rowing, low grip

Wide-grip pull-ups

For close-grip pull-ups, I've already covered everything you need to know about pull-ups. Here, obviously, the grip will be different.

Lat pulldown

There was a post on Velvet where the editors, who clearly suffer from serious brain damage, wanted to give workout tips to their similarly qualified readers. Such cases always lead to spectacular things, and this time was no different.

In short, it was about how to perform certain exercises, and they illustrated these with photos. They sat a seemingly clueless girl down and had an even more muddle-headed person write the text for it. The irony of the situation is that they also demonstrated the lat pulldown exercise, which is truly commendable, but there was a slight problem. The woman was literally sitting on the machine backward, and literally no one noticed.

If anyone happened to read that article, I would now say that for lat pulldowns, you always sit facing the machine, not backward, as shown in the drawing.

Conclusion. Don't read Velvet. If you absolutely want to watch some garbage, parliamentary broadcasts are there for that. It'll still fry your brain, but at least they won't talk utter nonsense about workouts and diets.

Lat pulldown to deltoid

I'm suspicious of this exercise because I particularly like it, and even with relatively high weights, I find it easy to perform. It's one of the most focused latissimus dorsi exercises.

Cable row to deltoid

Fantastic exercise. I don't like many back exercises, but I particularly enjoy this one. Unfortunately, it requires a cable machine, which is a shame because it's already a blessing if the gym even has one. But even if it does, it won't get you any further, as this is the machine that will always be occupied.

There's nothing surprising about that. Just like good women at a nightclub will always get drinks, anything good gets snapped up quickly, and the competition is fierce.

Bent-over rows

I saved the king for last. No exercise has ever been as difficult for me as this one, and I've never felt my body as much as with bent-over rows. It's extremely dangerous, if not one of the most dangerous exercises. (No. That would be free-weight squats.)

I saved this exercise for last to reiterate that if done correctly, back muscle training can optically enhance the overall appearance of your body significantly, but if performed incorrectly, it carries great risks and is highly prone to injury. Just please take care of yourselves. Take care of yourselves and do what you do wisely.

The next part of the Exercise Anatomy series will cover abdominal muscle training.