• Creating an effective bodybuilding back workout is important if you want to get a full workout and an overall muscular look
• Your bodybuilding schedule should focus on giving all four of the muscle groups in your back a thorough workout
• The bodybuilding workout program should also include a nutritious bodybuilding diet plan so you can build muscles more effectively

Having a well defined set of back muscles is an important part of building your overall physique. Simply put, you want to make it look wide and thick. Unfortunately, this major muscle area is often neglected by bodybuilders because they cannot see it. They instead focus more on developing the chest area. A successful bodybuilding workout program for the back will provide you with the right exercises that will help you get an impressive, well-muscled back.

Basics of the Back

The back has a complex muscle structure that can be divided into four major groups. The latissimus dorsi or what is commonly known as the lats is located on each side of your back. It is responsible for the extension, rotation and pulling in of the arms towards your body.

The erector spinae runs along the length of the back starting from the neck down to just above the hips. This muscle group is responsible for the bending, extension as well as rotation of the upper body. It is also responsible for posture and offers support to the spine.

The trapezius is located at the base of the neck and spreads almost to the center of the back. It lifts and rotates the shoulders. The rhomboids (major and minor) are located between the shoulder blades and they aid in their rotation, elevation and retraction. These four areas have specific bodybuilding back workout exercises.

Ideas for the Best Back Workout

To get the most effective bodybuilding back workout, you need to work each of the four main muscles of the back equally. That can be a real challenge if you don’t have a proper bodybuilding schedule. Below are some ideas that can help you get started with the best exercises for your back.

• Exercise the Lats (latissimus dorsi) by doing some free weight exercises that offer good stimulation to the muscles and pull-ups with different types of grips (wide, medium, and close). You can also use what are called neutral grip pull-ups which are done on parallel bars in most guys. Machine-based exercises are also a good part to add to the routine but they are not as effective as free weights. Always include some isolation exercises, such as E-Z bar pullovers on a decline bench, because these will really work those lats.

• Exercise the erector spinae using barbells and dumbbells while you’re doing some bent knee deadlifts. Hyper-extensions and work on a lower back machine which isolate the correct back muscles.

• Exercise the trapezius using a serious of free weight exercises using barbells and dumbbells, as well as exercises on a rowing machine and isolation exercises, such as barbell shrugs and shrug machine.

• Exercise the rhomboids using free weights, such as T-bar rows, and machine exercises, such as a rear delt machine. The latter will also help by isolating the muscles in question to give them a thorough workout.

Other Points to Remember

An important part of your bodybuilding workout program is good nutrition. It should cover all the basic nutrients and at the same time supplement the special needs of the bodybuilder to lose fat and gain muscle. The business of tearing down and building up of muscles require a large intake of carbohydrates and protein.

Eating a large amount of protein and carbs is what makes a bodybuilding diet plan unique from a regular healthy diet program. Carbohydrates in this case should come from complex, slow releasing forms that leave you fuller for a longer period of time and yet low on fat (oatmeal, for example). This will be your main energy source during the workout. Protein constitutes the building blocks of all the muscles you will be gaining. Chicken, turkey, lean meats, fish, eggs, beans and dairy products are good sources of protein and will definitely aid you in your back muscle development as part of your bodybuilding schedule.

Bodybuilding Workout Programs29 May 2009