Well-primed back muscles give you soaring stature and support like no others. Give them some love and spotlight your rear view with these lat (and delt) blasters, demonstrated by IFBB figure pro Ann Titone.
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PULLUP
Works: Arms, BackHang from a pullup bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width using an overhand grip. Keep your wrists neutral and slight tension in your arms.Pull yourself up until your chin is even with the bar.Slowly descend to a full hang. Repeat for two sets of 8–10 reps, or until failure.TIP: Keep your core tight to prevent stress on the shoulders and elbows.
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BENTOVER DUMBBELL ROW
Works: Core, BackStand with your feet shoulder width holding dumbbells at your sides.Bend your torso forward to between 45 and 15 degrees to the floor.Drive your elbows up and back until the dumbbells reach hip height.• Extend your arms down to the starting position without hyperextending your elbows.Perform two sets of 15 reps, then finish with a third set of 12 reps, increasing the weight on the third set.TIP: Keep your knees slightly bent to take pressure off your back.
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THREE-POINT DUMBBELL ROW
Works: Core, BackGet into an incline plank position by placing your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and your right hand on a flat bench with your arm extended.Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with arm extended.Keeping your back flat and hips in line, pull the dumbbell up until it reaches your left hip.Slowly lower your left arm back down. On each side, you’ll do two sets of 15 reps, then increase the weight, and do a final set of 12 reps.TIP: Don’t throw your shoulder into the motion; keep it slow and under control.
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OVERHAND-GRIP SEATED CABLE ROW
Works: Biceps, BackSit at a long-range cable row machine and grasp the bar with an overhand grip.Keeping your knees soft, stretch forward just until the bar passes your knees. Then pull the bar to just below your rib cage, keeping your torso erect.Do three sets of 16, 12, and 8 reps, increasing the weight as you lower the reps.TIP: Use an overhand grip to fully target the outer delts.
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-DEGREE PULL & HOLD
Works: Rear deltoids, BackSit facing away from a lat-pulldown machine.Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and your palms facing forward.Pull the bar down until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and hold, with your back flexed, for five slow counts.Slowly let the bar rise back to start, keeping your elbows slightly bent at top of movement.Perform two sets of 12 and 10 reps, keeping the weight moderate each set.TIP: If this is uncomfortable, face the machine and pull bar toward chin.
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ONE-ARM ALTERNATING ASSISTED PULLUP
Works: Arms, Core, BackStart with your knees on the supporting pad of an assisted pullup machine, your hands grasping the bar overhead, palms facing forward.Perform a pullup. At the top, release your right hand and lower yourself using only your left arm, then pull your body up.At top of the pullup, switch hands, holding onto the bar with only your right hand. Lower down, then pull back up.Perform two sets of 20 pullups (10 on each arm).TIP: Keep your elbow in a flat plane with your body to hit your lats harder.
Well-primed back muscles give you soaring stature and support like no others. Give them some love and spotlight your rear view with these lat (and delt) blasters, demonstrated by IFBB figure pro Ann Titone.
PULLUP
Works: Arms, Back
Hang from a pullup bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width using an overhand grip. Keep your wrists neutral and slight tension in your arms.
Pull yourself up until your chin is even with the bar.
Slowly descend to a full hang. Repeat for two sets of 8–10 reps, or until failure.
TIP: Keep your core tight to prevent stress on the shoulders and elbows.
BENTOVER DUMBBELL ROW
Works: Core, Back
Stand with your feet shoulder width holding dumbbells at your sides.
Bend your torso forward to between 45 and 15 degrees to the floor.
Drive your elbows up and back until the dumbbells reach hip height.
• Extend your arms down to the starting position without hyperextending your elbows.
Perform two sets of 15 reps, then finish with a third set of 12 reps, increasing the weight on the third set.
TIP: Keep your knees slightly bent to take pressure off your back.
THREE-POINT DUMBBELL ROW
Works: Core, Back
Get into an incline plank position by placing your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and your right hand on a flat bench with your arm extended.
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with arm extended.
Keeping your back flat and hips in line, pull the dumbbell up until it reaches your left hip.
Slowly lower your left arm back down. On each side, you’ll do two sets of 15 reps, then increase the weight, and do a final set of 12 reps.
TIP: Don’t throw your shoulder into the motion; keep it slow and under control.
OVERHAND-GRIP SEATED CABLE ROW
Works: Biceps, Back
Sit at a long-range cable row machine and grasp the bar with an overhand grip.
Keeping your knees soft, stretch forward just until the bar passes your knees. Then pull the bar to just below your rib cage, keeping your torso erect.
Do three sets of 16, 12, and 8 reps, increasing the weight as you lower the reps.
TIP: Use an overhand grip to fully target the outer delts.
-DEGREE PULL & HOLD
Works: Rear deltoids, Back
Sit facing away from a lat-pulldown machine.
Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and your palms facing forward.
Pull the bar down until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and hold, with your back flexed, for five slow counts.
Slowly let the bar rise back to start, keeping your elbows slightly bent at top of movement.
Perform two sets of 12 and 10 reps, keeping the weight moderate each set.
TIP: If this is uncomfortable, face the machine and pull bar toward chin.
ONE-ARM ALTERNATING ASSISTED PULLUP
Works: Arms, Core, Back
Start with your knees on the supporting pad of an assisted pullup machine, your hands grasping the bar overhead, palms facing forward.
Perform a pullup. At the top, release your right hand and lower yourself using only your left arm, then pull your body up.
At top of the pullup, switch hands, holding onto the bar with only your right hand. Lower down, then pull back up.
Perform two sets of 20 pullups (10 on each arm).
TIP: Keep your elbow in a flat plane with your body to hit your lats harder.
