Back training program

Posted on: 02/24/2025

Back training is often put on the back burner by many bodybuilders. Why is this? Because back muscles are less obvious than pectoral or abdominal muscles. And that's a big mistake, because it's certainly one of the most important muscle groups to develop. In fact, it plays a major aesthetic role, giving the torso a flared, "V"-shaped appearance and broadening the build. It makes you look massive and thick from the front and the side. It also helps to keep you strong, protecting you from injury by balancing forces with the more visible muscles that are often overtaxed. All very well, but how do you build up your back muscles? What program should you follow to get a complete back? That's what we'll be looking at next.

How do you build up your back muscles?

Back training is no more complicated than that of other muscle groups, but many exercisers find it hard to feel this group working. It's true that, given the number of muscles involved, you need to be careful to train the back as a whole, from all angles, from the lumbar to the trapezius. You won't be able to do just one exercise to train your back completely; you'll need 2 or 3 different movements to build up its muscles properly. And the latter will thank you, with more muscles and therefore more mass to gain than other groups like pectorals or shoulders.

It's not complicated to set up a back training program. In a back-oriented training program, some exercises are more complex to master than others, which are more technical to perform. So you need to be careful. Back pain already affects around 70% of the population, so it's not a question of adding to it, but rather of reversing the trend. Because yes, some of these back exercises can be dangerous, especially if you lift heavy or have a predisposition to back problems. Watch your technique! Also, some exercises require a lot of strength, and can't be done by all exercisers. The deadlift springs to mind.

To build back muscles properly, the first step is to divide the muscles into large and small ones. We then focus our strength training on developing the large muscles, which is often enough to build up the small ones as well. Because of the large number of muscles in the back, it's important to try to train all of them, to achieve harmonious, balanced development. But precisely because of the sheer number of muscles, it's not possible to work each one separately.

How do you train all the muscles of the back? By distinguishing between large and small muscles. For large muscles (large dorsal and trapezius), specific strength training is required, using one or more exercises. For small muscles (large & small round, infra & supraspinatus, rhomboids), this is generally unnecessary, as they are sufficiently trained when working the large muscles. This reduces the number of exercises required.

Which exercises should I choose to train my back?

To train all the muscles of the back, you need to select the right exercises. There are 4 types of movement to use:

Vertical movements, to build the width of the lumbar spine and obtain the famous V-shaped back. To do this, you need to bring your arms downwards, as in pull-ups or front pulls.
Horizontal movements, to build thickness and mid-back strength. To do this, you need to bring your elbows back, as in horizontal pulling with the low pulley or barbell and dumbbell rowing.
Shoulder-lift movements, to build upper trapezius muscles by lifting the shoulders, as in the shrug or deadlift.
Lower back and lumbar movements, for the muscles at the base of the spine (erector spinae, spinal muscles and quadratus lumborum), such as the lumbar bench or deadlift.

These 4 types of movement allow you to strengthen all the muscles in your back, giving you a perfect, strong, aesthetic back. Muscling your back is essential not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to prevent injury. You need to train your back as well as your pectoral muscles to achieve full development and a good balance of strength. Otherwise, you risk joint and/or muscle problems. If the damage is done, if you're behind schedule, you need to focus on these muscles, prioritize this muscular area. This means devoting at least 2 sessions a week to them.

What back training program should I follow?

When it comes to training the back, just doing a few sets of pull-ups or chin-ups isn't enough for a complete workout and good muscle growth. To build strength and muscle mass in this large muscle group, you need to use the best specific exercises and program a good workout routine. Here are two back training programs for different levels.

Beginner back training program

Here's a simple program for beginners, with safe, effective exercises that don't require much strength or technique.

High pulley front pull: 3*10
Horizontal pull low pulley: 3*10
Shrugs: 2*10
Lumbar bench: 2*15

For this basic workout, take 1 minute 30 of rest between each set. Allow 30 minutes for this module, which can be integrated into a split program. Place in a dedicated session, minimum 1 time per week - 2 times per week will give better results.

If you opt for a full-body program, such as 3 sessions a week, you can do front pull for one session and low pulley pull the next for the "back part" of the program.

Session A :

Pectorals
Back: High pulley front pull: 3*12
Shoulders
Legs
Abs

Session B :

Chest
Back: Low pulley deadlift: 3*12
Shoulders
Legs
Abs

Back training program for intermediates

If you have 1 or 2 years of weight training behind you, this program with more technical and harder exercises will work wonders:

Session 1:

Barbell pull-ups: 4*10
Bar Rowing: 4*10
Bar Shrugs: 3*10
Weighted lumbar bench: 3*15

Session 2:

High pulley front pull: 4*12
Low pulley floor pull: 3*10
Deadlift: 4*8

Ideally, do 2 sessions a week, alternating sessions 1 and 2, or every 4 or 5 days depending on recovery. Rest for 1 minute 30 seconds between sets. This back training program has two variations. With them, you'll be sure to achieve complete development of your back.

Back training program for experts

If you've been building your back muscles for more than 3 years, you might like this split program:

Chest pull medium grip: 5*10
Low pulley pull tight grip: 4*10
Neutral grip pull-ups: 3*8
Pull-over or straight-arm pull: 3*15
Deadlift: 4*(10/8/6/6)
Face-pull: 3*8
Shrug: 3*10

Ideally, do a session every 4 to 6 days, depending on recovery. Take 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes' rest between sets, depending on the difficulty of the exercises.

Depending on how you want your back to look (thicker, wider, trapezius or lumbar), you can vary the exercises. Prioritize the exercises for the area you're most behind in your training, and put your heart and soul into them.

Don't forget the back warm-up!

If you neglect it, sooner or later you'll injure yourself or suffer chronic pain. Your back needs a specific warm-up, just like the rest of your body. Start with an overall low-intensity warm-up, followed by some stretching and mobility exercises. Move on to a specific warm-up with lighter sets to build up power. Work in stages. And remember, proper exercise is essential for success in bodybuilding. It's the quality of your training that influences your progress, more than the quantity

How to build back muscles without equipment?

It's possible to build back muscles without equipment. Pull-ups and their various variants will do the trick to target the different regions of the back and achieve harmonious development. It's not easy to find effective exercises when you don't have any equipment. The ideal is to have at least one pull-up bar, but it's always possible to do without by hanging on to something and using your wits for the rest.

In short, it's possible, but the exercises will soon become recurrent. Possible exercises include: vertical pull-ups on a barbell with different grips, horizontal pull-ups and bodyweight pull-ups.

Session without back equipment

Bar or support pull-ups (pull-up bar, door, staircase, etc.): 5*10
Australian pull-ups (under a table): 4*10
Straight-arm pull-ups (window sill): 3*15

If you're unable to do hanging pull-ups anywhere, opt for Australian pull-ups to start with, while you build up the necessary strength. Don't hesitate to use a weighted backpack to add difficulty. Ideally, however, if you want to keep going and make rapid progress at home, equip yourself with a barbell, two dumbbells and a bit of cast iron, and/or a power tower-style pull-up/dips station.