Back Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders

From a bodybuilder's perspective one of the most important body areas is the back. Not only can it be visually impressive but a strong back is essential for intensive training and day to day living. In bodybuilding you are aiming for three things with regard to developing the back muscles:

- Thickness of the upper back (traps).

- Wide lats.

- Highly defined lower back (spinal erectors and lower lats).

As a beginner there are five essential exercises for developing these muscles quickly:

1. Dumbbell shrugs - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise will develop the traps.

2. Seated V-bar cable rows - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise will develop the mid upper back.

3. Bent over barbell rows - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise will add thickness to the upper back.

4. Pullups - Aim for 25 reps. This exercise will strengthen the entire back.

5. Pulldowns - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise will define the lats.

As with all exercises you need to take care in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate your back exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:

Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs

Day 2: Hamstrings, Shoulders, Abs

Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves

Day 4: Triceps, Chest, Abs

For the first couple of weeks complete one set but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level exercises.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/saturday/act2/ny-tips5878072oct11,0,4193098.storycid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNHYNiFaiYXtmlmRY45z6OKY2s302AIn bbuilding muscles/b, seniors are still going strong/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNewsday,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Pack on the bmuscle/b and fight back. A new study from Ball State University found that even people in their 70s can still bbuild muscle/b, which can help them b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html%3Fid%3D1f222ae8-c6fe-476a-8466-52948ea964f6cid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNHYfQfQ4lSXh4I0bd9yn2lubxvwBwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=nIEpWoeoCU0Jimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/d791960c-73fb-4890-999a-2abd80596eff/sun1002%2520muscle%2520tone%25203.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Vancouver Sun/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html%3Fid%3D1f222ae8-c6fe-476a-8466-52948ea964f6cid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNHYfQfQ4lSXh4I0bd9yn2lubxvwBwHow to stay strong: Lift weights slowly/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVancouver Sun,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;If you eat a steak and a guy eats a steak, the male body is going to absorb more of the protein to bbuild muscle/b than the female body,quot; Surrey certified b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/san-luis-school-wins-national/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B97D3F8A0-1E85-4407-ADAF-38E6F4709A48%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNE2H_mChBViB_6iCBZ3E7gOyRJZqQSan Luis School Wins National got milk?(R) Refuel Your School Contest/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Milk contains nine essential nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D to maintain bone strength, and high-quality protein that helps bbuild muscle/b when b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jj70plkYkO3uxq3zLT3IbZXN-Xewcid=1257075088ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNF5urFcTV5rzfp7E0bAfSD5mYCixAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=kecpD19ClbcJimgurl=afp.google.com/media/ALeqM5jKfcwGV9e62ZPDQaddPT7tpOvkrw width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2AFP/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jj70plkYkO3uxq3zLT3IbZXN-Xewcid=1257075088ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNF5urFcTV5rzfp7E0bAfSD5mYCixAMySpace gives little guys online ad bmuscle/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAFPnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1MySpace gets 25 cents each time someone quot;clicksquot; on Internet links bbuild/b into display ads, meaning a budget of 25 dollars could last until 100 people b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081013/LIVING/810130308cid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNHu3ync9Qbgb1RWR0vqyXBH8-MeZgSlight chance multivitamin leads to weight gain/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNews Sentinel,nbsp;INnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Q. If I take supplements to help bbuild muscle/b, do I urinate out what I don’t need? A trainer told me that the body can only assimilate so much and that b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081009/COLUMN0805/810090332/1001/NEWScid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNHj48tI92RdCDFOJPaeThpClyA8GABalance protein and carbohydrates to bbuild muscle/b mass/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStatesman Journal,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1First, dietary protein does provide your body with the necessary amino acids to bbuild/b contractile bmuscle/b. Your body requires essential amino acids from your b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html%3Fid%3D069385ad-8260-48b5-89f4-a53fac48d0a8cid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNFNNAcHk0KpX_9ZvtjJLCaM7_JNkQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=oaTxqwYeTpcJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/vasn/20081013/141903-51872.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Vancouver Sun/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html%3Fid%3D069385ad-8260-48b5-89f4-a53fac48d0a8cid=0ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNFNNAcHk0KpX_9ZvtjJLCaM7_JNkQWeight room exercises great for mid-life women/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVancouver Sun,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This exercise will bbuild/b your tricep bmuscle/b which will help tone the quot;flubberjubquot; under your arms. Do this exercise with general cardio training and the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dawn.com/2008/10/13/top1.htmcid=1257316394ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNGakFLPBEW7kanMdcI--3lt_1QHUgOpposition MPs flex bmuscle/b for frank debate: Joint session resumes b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPakistan Dawn,nbsp;Pakistannbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1He said an in-camera debate was preferred only to “avoid petty point-scoring at a critical time in the country’s history” and rather try to bbuild/b a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/30802684.html%3Felr%3DKArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUFcid=1257110600ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNGZHlRmbK15_ksqeNcHgTSh9ASFiQPaunch got you feeling punchy?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMinneapolis Star Tribune,nbsp;MNnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Now, let#39;s talk bmuscle/b. Untrained core bmuscles/b lead to weakness, protruding butts and bellies and lousy posture. So get to work. Our goal? b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/story.html%3Fid%3D96fdd6e1-e562-4ce5-84f3-ede8392724dacid=1255854338ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNE06B9n7x31MI_rZwV5ncVRIHQtPgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=NtKfWHfa0SwJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/cahr/20081009/119956-43336.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Calgary Herald/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/story.html%3Fid%3D96fdd6e1-e562-4ce5-84f3-ede8392724dacid=1255854338ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNE06B9n7x31MI_rZwV5ncVRIHQtPgConsider goals when planning your fitness program/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalgary Herald,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Do you want to bbuild muscle/b, shed body fat, improve your athletic performance, feel better or just be more healthy? By establishing clear objectives you b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20081009-165566/Enjoy-the-benefits-of-being-fitcid=1255854338ei=h8HzSKOqNqbU6gPrgfWDAQusg=AFQjCNGgHXmMBX8OpzefOd1eHL9OGxTniwEnjoy the benefits of being fit/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInquirer.net/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255854338hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
build muscle - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Two Major Training Mistakes You Must Dump Immediately!

The number of myths about natural bodybuilding are too numerous... Read More

3 Amazing Ways to Shape Up Your Muscles in Less Than 7 days!

Imagine you need to look great to get all the... Read More

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 5

Welcome to article number five in our 5-part series "Bodybuilding... Read More

How To Get A Flat, Toned Stomach

One of the most common fitness questions this time of... Read More

Bodybuilding: Effective Ways To Handling Criticism

It's important to set the way we'll respond to different... Read More

The Dangerous Secret of Extreme Muscle Growth

You've decided to join a gym, but you're not sure... Read More

Four Powerful Tricks for Successful Lucid Dreaming

By definition, Lucid Dreaming means "conscious awareness during the dream... Read More

Most Amazing (and Ridiculously Simple) Trick For Stiff-Legged Deadlifts You Will Ever Read In Your L

The stiff-legged deadlift is one of the best exercises you... Read More

Glucosamine Review and Potential Benefits

Something interesting happened as my triceps workouts continued in their... Read More

Exercise The Right Way - The Leg Extension

Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More

Waist Your Breath - Breathing For A Thinner Waist

The crunch exercise is the backbone of abdominal training. It... Read More

Protein or Carbohydrates?

This has got to be the biggest controversy in modern... Read More

Six Minute Abs

Six minutes out of your day. All you need is... Read More

Know Your Muscles - The Mid-Section

Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More

Want to Do Everything Better? Build A Strong Core

Core strength and stability is increasingly recognized as a vital... Read More

Exercise The Right Way - The Machine Shoulder Press

Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More

Secret Training Tip #242 - Be 10% Stronger in Leg Curls Instantly!

This is a trick to be done on a leg... Read More

The Health Risks Associated With The Use Of Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are classed as illegal drugs and are banned... Read More

Strong To The Core of Your Being - The Benefits Of Core Training

If you were to ask me which muscle group in... Read More

Maximize The Windows of Opportunity For Explosive Muscle Growth

You have two main windows of opportunity when your training.... Read More

How to Build a Bigger and Better Chest

Creating a larger more powerful chest is difficult but if... Read More

Body Building Mind Games: Dont Let Your Weight Determine Your Mood!

Is the 'I Feel Fat Day' (IFFD) syndrome affecting your... Read More

Sneak a Little Intensity into Your Workout

You know you're on autopilot during your workouts when, halfway... Read More

Gain Weight Fast With These Ten Powerful Tips! Part -2

By the time you finish reading this you will have... Read More

How Do I Gain Weight?

Try asking people how to gain weight and you'll likely... Read More