When it comes to back day, you don’t need to hit every back exercise known to man to get an amazing back. You don’t need a lot of sets either to get a good quality back workout in; sometimes less is more.
If you are looking for a real back builder and something new, this brief yet basic back routine is for you. You will be in and out of the gym in no time. It is a simple yet effective routine. Notice I did not say easy.
If you do it right, these 3 basic exercises will build your back nicely. Let’s get to the meat of it.
How many sets and exercises will I be doing?
You will only be doing 3 sets for each of the 3 exercises listed below.
How much rest time should I have between sets and exercises?
These are some heavy hitting exercises you may want to wait 90 seconds to 1 minute and 20 seconds between sets. And 4-5 minutes between exercises, depending on how you are feeling; if you feel you are recovered before that by all means go for it.
With only having 3 exercises you want to give it your all, so make sure you are fully recovered and ready for the next set.
How much weight should I be using?
Select a weight you can manage. Your goal is to get a total of 10 reps for each set. When you can do that, you will want to increase the weight the next time you are in the gym.
What about warm ups?
Warm ups should never be taxing, but you want to ensure that your body is ready to move some weight. I would do 3 sets, 10-15 reps with a lighter weight for the first exercise. Depending on how you are feeling 2-3 warm ups for the final two exercises should be sufficient. These warm ups help your body prepare for the heavier work you are about to do.
How many days a week should I do this routine?
You will want to give yourself at least one day of rest before hitting your back again. You could do this routine 3 days a week on nonconsecutive days.
Basic Back Routine for Women
- Deadlifts – 3 sets 10/10/10
- Bent-over barbell rows – 3 sets 10/10/10
- Wide-grip chins – 3 sets 10/10/10
Helpful tips
- If these exercises are new to you, focus on form first.
- For deadlifts you will want to make sure you never pull the bar from the floor, concentrate on standing up with the bar.
- For rowing movements the key is to squeeze those shoulder blades together; if you can’t you need to drop the amount of weight you are rowing. If you focus on rowing and squeezing you will be able to add weight.
- Change your grip. Play with grip to see what works best for you. You could try underhand/overhand for the deadlift. You could also try an underhand grip for the barbell rows.
- You may want to consider picking up a pair of lifting straps; they will allow you to pull more weight without letting your grip strength be an issue.
Have you tried this workout? Let us know in the comment section below.
