There’s no better symbol for strength than having a wide back.
Especially for men. We look so much better when our back is shaped like an inverse triangle: wide shoulders, wide back, and narrow waist.
But let’s focus here only on our back.
The question I’d like to answer in today’s email is how to get wider back? In other words, which exercises will give you a wider back?
First, let’s see how the back is built so we can understand what muscles to target.
Back muscles are divided into three layers: superficial layer, intermediate layer, and deep layer.
The superficial layer lies just below the skin and its muscles can be easily seen.
That’s why it’s crucial to target the muscles of the superficial layer if you want to get a wider back.
Back muscles from the superficial layer are:
- Trapezius
- Rhomboid major and minor
- Latissimus Dorsi
The intermediate layer of back muscles consists of Serratus Posterior superior and inferior.
And finally, the deep layer of back muscles consists of:
- Erector Spinae
- Multifidus
- Quadratus Lumborum
By far, the most important muscles of all these I’ve mentioned above are Latissimus Dorsi, also known as lats.
It’s actually a pair of muscles, one on each side of your back.
Both of the lats are connecting one of your arms to your spine and combined are the biggest muscle of the upper body.
So the best way to get a wider back is to build your lats on each side.
If your lats are big, your back is going to be wide.
And here are the exercises that will help you sculpt big and strong lats so your back can get that powerful V-shape.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are one of the toughest exercises if done correctly.
It doesn’t really matter which variation you will do, because unlike chin-up, every pull-up variation will engage lats.
Lat pull-downs
Lat pull-down is a machine-based exercise that specifically targets the Latissumus Dorsi muscle.
There are three main rules for lat pull-downs.
1. Keep your elbows slightly in front of you and in line with your hips
2. Never pull down the weight behind your back
3. Do not pull the weight with your biceps
If you follow these rules, you’ll ensure the correct form and you’re going to target lats instead of biceps and forearms.
Now that you know how to get wider back, let’s just say a couple of words about building thicker back.
Having a wide and thick back will help you look better than 90% of people.
The best exercise for the thicker back are rows that can be done with either barbells, dumbbells, or on a rowing machine.
Combining rows with both pull-ups and lat pull-downs is the way to go if you want to build a bigger, stronger, and wider back in the most efficient way possible.
So don’t miss out on these three exercises.
Pull-ups and free-weight variations of rows are the most valuable here because they’re compound exercises that use more than one muscle group at a time.
This means that you’re getting not only a stronger back, but you’re also affecting your whole upper body.
And that’s how you get maximum gains in muscle mass and strength with minimum time spent in the gym!
Stay fit my friend,
Michael
Founder & CEO