A very warm welcome to our Beginner Series that gives you a complete roadmap to help you in your fitness journey. Today we will dive into a complete back workout made only for the beginners. It doesn’t matter whether you are a newbie or just started working out; this guide will help you master back exercises. Moreover, this will teach you exercises including form, technique, sets, reps, and which muscles it targets. Let’s dive into it.

Warm Up: Prepare before main exercises

Directly jumping into any workout would only cause injury and unnecessary pains. Before getting into back exercises, it’s recommended to warm up your upper body to make it ready for the workout. Warm-up routine involves some basic joint mobilization exercises, like for your wrists, elbows, and shoulders.

Warmup is necessary to increase the blood flow, increase joint flexibility, and prevent inquiries.

Exercise 1: Lat Pulldown (Machine Based)

For a beginner, machine-based movement works better than free weight movement. The lat pulldown machine provides you space to sit and isolate your back muscles without worrying much about your form and technique.

Grip Tip

Open your hands shoulder-width apart. Taking too wide or shorter grips reduces the overall engagement of back muscles.

Form Breakdown

• Sit down with your thighs tucked under the pad.
• Hold the bar firmly (not too loose).
• Retract your shoulder blades.
• Pull the bar down till your elbows are bent and shoulder blades are squeezed.
• Slowly go back to the initial position. (Have full control)

Muscles Targeted

• Lats
• Mid-back
• Trapezius
• Rhomboids

Sets and Reps

• 2 warmup sets with light weight (10 reps)
• 3 working sets (12-15 reps)

Lat pulldown is a great exercise to learn the pulling movement and building the mind muscle connection.

Exercise 2: Chest-Supported Dumbell Rows (Incline Bench)

This version is a safer and beginner-friendly version of bent-over rows. Get a slightly inclined bench and lie with your chest down. It provides great control as it removes the need for stabilizing the core and lower back, making the movements easier to perform.

Grip Tip

Keep grip as neutral for maximum stability, engagement, and comfort.

Form Breakdown

• Set a bench at a 35-degree angle.
• Take the dumbbells you are comfortable with.
• Lie down on the bench with your chest and face down.
• Let your hands hang down and pull the dumbbells up.
• At the top, squeeze the shoulder blades.
• Slowly lower the weights to their initial position.

Muslces Targeted

• Lats
• Traps
• Rhomboids
• Rear delts

Sets and Reps

• 1 warm-up set
• 3 working sets of 12-15 reps

This exercise helps you strengthen the upper and mid-back muscles without putting strain on the low back muscles.

Exercise 3: Seated Row Machine (Horizontal Pull)

The seated row machine also helps in targeting the back muscles but from a different angle. This machine normally has a chest support pad, which improves the overall stability and maintains a good posture.

Grip Tip

Keep your grip as neutral (palms facing each other). You can either go with a single arm or both. To get the proper balance, go with both arms.

Form Breakdown

• Sit on the machine, place your feet firmly, and press your chest against the pad.
• Hold the handles and pull it towards your body.
• The main focus is to retract your shoulder for the maximum engagement.
• Let the weights go slowly to their initial position.
• Breathe while returning the weight and exhale when pulling it.

Muscles Targeted

• Lats
• Mid-back
• Traps
• Posterior shoulders

Sets and Reps

3 working sets with 12-15 reps.(Skip the warmup sets as your muscles are activated by now.)

Exercise 4: Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row

This exercise involves movement that doesn’t give any stability, so it’s up to you to keep yourself balanced by keeping your back straight and not leaning down. As a beginner, this is a good progression exercise.

Why this exercise? As of now, your muscles should be stimulated enough to try a little different exercise with no support and assistance.

Form Breakdown

• Sit at the cable machine and place your feet on the platform.
• Use a wide grip and keep your back straight.
• Start pulling with your back and not with the arms.
• Make sure to keep your elbows close to the body and don’t lose control.
• When pulled, squeeze at the end and slowly release it.

Muscles Targeted

• Mid-back
• Lats
• Rhomboids
• Traps

Sets and Reps

3 working sets with 12-15 reps.

Pro Tip: While doing this exercise, be in control to avoid injury and maximize muscle engagement.

Training Schedule and Progess

If you follow a routine that targets individual muscle groups in a day, then you should perform this once per week. To see the optimal results, follow this routine for 10-12 weeks, and eventually the form and mind-muscle engagement will improve.

Final Thoughts

To build a muscular back, basics are the most important as a beginner. This guide includes:

• Proper movement
• No. of reps to perform
• Targeted muscles

Stick to these 4 back exercises and be consistent to build a back that is not only strong but also muscular. By this time your muscles have trained enough to try advanced exercises as well.