The back consists of some of the most powerful and biggest muscles in the body. Back day is a day that is loved by a lot of exercisers, and there is a popular misconception that you require a variety of equipment to be able to get your back workout done effectively. There are effective back workouts you can perform with just the use of dumbbells, which means that they can be performed anywhere, which includes your home.
Importance of strong back muscles
Upper back
This is the area of your back that helps to retract your scapula, stabilize your shoulder girdle, support the weight of your head, and retract your shoulder blades. The trapezius and latissimus dorsi are the major muscle groups here. Also, the rear delts are included as the signs of a healthy back include prominent, strong rear delts.
Mid-back
This is also referred to as the thoracic area, and it is responsible for the twisting and rotating of your body and also provide protection for your spine. The largest muscle in your back, the latissimus dorsi, is the major muscle group here. Other muscles in the mid-back include the serratus posterior and erector spinae.
Lower back
This is also referred to as the lumbar area and is vital when it comes to providing support for your upper body’s weight. A weak back would result in back pain and injury, which is why you have to ensure that it is strong. Your lower back is engaged whenever you bend, extend, or rotate your body from your waist.
The best dumbbell back workouts
These are some of the best dumbbell back workouts you can try to really work your back muscles.
Renegade Row
In this workout, your rhomboids, traps, and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the renegade row;
- Mount a pushup position to get into the starting position, but you are going to be holding a dumbbell each in both hands.
- From your head to toes, try to be in a strong and straight line. Then you start alternating rows from left to the right.
- Allow your elbow skim past your side as you pull the dumbbell up towards your rib cage.
- Then, lower the dumbbell to the floor with slow and controlled motion and then repeat on your other arm.
- Ensure you do not twist through your shoulders or hips when performing the rows.
- Make sure you stack your wrist above your hands, instead of letting excess flexion through them.
Lat Pull-Overs
In this workout, your rhomboids and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the lat pull-overs;
- Get into the starting position by keeping your feet flat on the ground and lying on a flat bench.
- Grab a dumbbell between your hands and extend your arms fully above your chest.
- Bend your elbows slightly and lower the dumbbell down behind your head.
- The bottom of the move is the point where you experience a good stretch in your lats.
- Get back to the initial position where your arms are extended above your chest. You do this by engaging your lats and pulling the dumbbells back up.
Shrugs
In this workout, your rhomboids and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the shrugs;
- Get into the starting position by standing tall and placing your feet apart by the distance of your shoulder width.
- Extend your arms by your sides, and hold a dumbbell each in both hands.
- First, retract your shoulders a bit, then lift them high as much as you can towards your ears, ensuring that your upper traps are fully contracted. Ensure you keep your arms straight.
- Maintain this position for about two seconds before lowering down to the initial position with slow and controlled motion.
- Ensure that you do not spend a lot of time at the bottom of the motion between each shrug.
Kneeling Single Arm Row
In this workout, your rear deltoids, rhomboids, traps, and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the kneeling single-arm row;
- Kneel with one knee on a horizontal bench and then keep your other leg wide out on the ground.
- Use your non-working arm to support your upper body, ensuring that your palm is down on the bench.
- Maintain a neutral neck and spine, also make sure that your chest is facing the bench.
- Use your working hand to grab the dumbbell and fully extend that arm until you feel a little stretch in your rear deltoids.
- Start rowing the dumbbell up towards your rib cage, ensuring you skim past your side while pulling your elbow up and back.
- Maintain this position for one second and then revert to the bottom. Allow the stretch to work your rear deltoids; then, you can do the next rep.
Chest supported supinated row
In this workout, your rhomboids and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the chest supported supinated row;
- Get a bench that is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees and rest your upper body on it. Ensure your feet are resting on the ground with bent or straight legs, and also keep your chest on the backrest.
- Hold a dumbbell each in both hands, and have your arms extended and hanging from your chest in a straight line.
- Ensure your palms are facing forwards and rotate the dumbbells as this would create the supinated grip.
- Pull the two dumbbells up toward your rib cage.
- Squeeze your scapular and tuck in your elbows, then revert to the initial position.
Upright Row
In this workout, your rhomboids and traps are targeted. These are the steps to perform the upright row;
- Hold a dumbbell each in your two hands and keep your arms fully extended by your sides while you stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart.
- Make sure the dumbbells are perpendicular to your legs, and your palms are facing behind you.
- Bend your elbows and use your traps to pull the dumbbells up. You have to make sure that the dumbbells move up in a straight line while moving your elbows wide out.
- Keep pulling the dumbbells up until it gets to your collar bones, where your upper traps are fully contracted, and your elbows align with your ears.
- Maintain this position for two seconds and revert to the initial position.
Reverse Fly
In this workout, your erector spinae, traps, rear deltoids, and rhomboids are targeted. These are the steps to perform the reverse fly;
- Hold a dumbbell each in both hands and stand with your feet at hip-width apart.
- Leaning forward at your hips, push your hips back and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
- Keep your arms hanging at your front with your palms facing themselves and keep the dumbbells together.
- Maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, execute the reverse fly, squeezing your back together and opening your arms out wide.
- Maintain this position for one second and then revert to the initial position. Make sure your torso doesn’t move all through this move.
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
In this workout, your erector spinae, traps, and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the stiff leg deadlifts;
- Grab a dumbbell each in both hands and stand with your feet apart at a distance of your shoulder width.
- Then extend your arms full and have them hang at your sides.
- Retract your shoulder blades and keep a neutral spine. Lower the dumbbells down in front of your legs and stop when you experience a pull in your hamstrings; ensure that you hinge forward at your hips.
- Pull back into the standing position by engaging your glutes and upper back.
- Ensure that your shoulders don’t roll inwards and your back doesn’t bend forwards throughout the move.
Bent over wide row
In this workout, your erector spinae, rear deltoids, rhomboids, and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the bent-over wide row;
- Grab a dumbbell each in both hands and stand with your feet apart at a distance of your shoulder width and bend your knees slightly.
- At an angle of 45 degrees, hinge forward at your hips.
- Begin with fully extended arms that hang from your chest in a straight line and have your palms face behind you.
- Fully extend your arms again by squeezing your shoulder blades together for one second before releasing the dumbbells with slow and controlled motion.
Bent over narrow row
In this workout, your erector spinae, rhomboids, and lats are targeted. These are the steps to perform the bent-over narrow row;
- Grab a dumbbell each in both hands and stand with your feet apart at a distance of your shoulder width and bend your knees slightly.
- At an angle of 45 degrees, bend forward at your hips.
- Begin with fully extended arms that hang from your chest in a straight line and have your palms face themselves.
- Ensure your elbows skim past your sides as you pull the dumbbells upwards to the bottom of your rib cage.
- Fully extend your arms again by squeezing your shoulder blades together for one second before releasing the dumbbells with slow and controlled motion.
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