virtualbong

So I just noticed that I'm starting to hunch my back, which means that I'm not doing enough back workout to compensate for the heavier chest workouts that I do. I currently just do, shrugs and the rowing machine workout. What other back workouts do people recommend that will help fix my posture? I only want to add maybe 1 or 2 more back workouts, so the most efficient back workout would be appreciated.

Doc.Booty

Bent over rows and deadlifts.

Bdog

Shrugs are not a back excersice, they are for your mid shoulder or "traps"

These are some back exercises I mix up.

Lower back- Good Mornings, Standing: Start out with the bar on the back of your shoulders. Get your feet about hip-width apart. Keeping your back flat, bend forward from your hips. Go as far forward as you can, keeping your back flat. You should feel this in your hamstrings and lower back.

Mid Back/Lats- Seated Lat Row or Long Pull (exercise 1 of superset):
The knees are out of the way, your favorite close grip handle is extended fully forward as you reach forward. Now pull the handle tightly into the waist as you arch your back to contract the rhomboids, ending in a seated upright position - very slight 5-10% lean. Very nice, have fun with the purposeful negative. No thrusting, no momentum - strictly muscle power and form. This is to be supersetted with your stiff arm or bent arm pullovers.

Bentover rows. http://davedraper.com/article27-bentover-rows.html

Total back- Deadlifts

phipark

Lat pull downs, seated rows and supermans.

virtualbong

Found this nice link:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jon3.htm

I think I'm going to incorporate Lat Pulldowns and Deadlifts.

What type of Deadlift would be best?

Stiff Leg:



Bottom:



I wish Ballys had a trapbar for deadlifts:

Yumcha

Doc.Booty

The bottom is a standard deadlift. Both are great. The standard hits your entire back, the stiff legged focuses on lower back, glutes and hamstrings.

Bdog

Unlike that picture, I use a wider stance, putting my grip inside my legs. That way I don't have the bar riding up my shins and knees.

virtualbong

FYI. I went to the gym after work and I skipped out on deadlifts but I did 5 sets of lat pulldowns and let me tell ya. My posture is already better, no joke. Its easier to keep my shoulders from slouching (keep in mind, I've been good about working out so maybe it just needed a jump start)

Doc.Booty

There are many ways to do the deadlift.

is300eater

it's not just your back, but you need to work your rear delts AND rotators as well, those AND along with some of the above mentioned... will help your posture.

virtualbong

I currently do some exercises for my rotators and I doesn't the seated row help my rear delts?

Found this:

Rear Delts exercises

is300eater

the "face pull" one its great! I do that one myself... or variations of it.

jiggaman

i do back flips and somersaults

gavriil

Whenever people talk about "back" I always wonder why. I mean there are so many different muscles in the back, we talk about it unlike we talk about the..."front". For the...front, we have the chest, some shoulder presence, the abs... But for the poor, yet amazing, back we have limited lingo for.

Anyway, at least let's agree that we should at least distinguish between lower and upper back. So in this case you're probably referring to upper back since you mentioned that you are trying to compensate for the "heavier chest work..." you have been doing.

For the upper back, I'd recommend starting with pull ups. Assisted if you are a beginner like me (a well equipped cables aparatus will have the appropriate accessories to give you the opportunity for assisted pull ups). It's important to work on different grips though. During the same session that is. Wide grip, V-grip, inverted grip (which is the only one soring my biceps interestingly). It's also important to start with that exercise and the various grips. Secondary exercises which should be done only after pullups are T-row pulls and pullovers.

For the lower back, no doubt there is one king exercise and that is the deadlift. As mentioned above there are several types of deadlifts (romanian, stiflegged, sumo, balarina, others maybe), but when one refers to THE deadlift they refer to the one mentioned as "bottom" above and that should be the primary lower back exercies. Trap bars are best, due to form and posture issues but not all gyms have them. Barbells are almost as good though.

Secondary exercises should be back extentions (weighted in many cases) and good mornings. Do deadlifts first, others next.

gavriil

Rear delts are as important as any medium size muscle. The problem though with the link is that it shows isolation exercises. A lateral T-row for example is a compound exercise that will give your rear delts a very good workout but at the same time work numerous other muscles in your upper and even lower back if done in loose form.