We Tested 17 Back Exercises, These Are Best For Growth

Summary

In this video, the host tests popular back exercises on four subjects using a muscle activation machine, Betty, to identify which exercises best target different back muscles. They focus on key areas: thickness (mid and lower traps) and width (lats). Exercises like deadlifts and bent-over rows are shown to activate muscles effectively, while inverted rows and lat-focused rows are highlighted for targeting specific back regions. The video concludes with a practical workout plan, emphasizing the importance of basic exercises, consistency, and proper form for building a muscular, powerful back.

Takeaways

• 😀 Deadlifts are a highly effective overall back builder, showing significant activation in both upper and lower back muscles, even when performed with lighter weights.
• 😀 Bent over rows are great for activating the entire back, with variations in grip affecting the activation of different areas like the mid-back and lats.
• 😀 Inverted rows are a top exercise for mid and upper back activation, especially for beginners and females, but become less effective as experience increases.
• 😀 Wide grip seated cable rows and dumbbell chest-supported rows with flared elbows are excellent for mid and upper back activation.
• 😀 The lower traps are an often overlooked but crucial muscle for shoulder health and posture, and incline prone Y raises are an effective exercise for this area.
• 😀 Lats are best targeted through vertical pulling movements, such as pull-ups and lat pulldowns, but the lat-focused row also provides exceptional activation.
• 😀 The lat-focused row, inspired by N1 training, provides superior lat activation compared to traditional lat pulldowns and pull-ups.
• 😀 Consistency, proper form, and hard training are the core components for muscle growth, making the most basic exercises still the most effective.
• 😀 A well-structured back workout should combine exercises that target different back areas, such as deadlifts, rows, lat-focused rows, and prone Y raises for lower traps.
• 😀 The experiment emphasized the importance of individualized training, as each subject's muscle activation and response to exercises varied, especially between beginners and experienced lifters.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the back workout experiment discussed in the video?

The main goal is to test the most popular back exercises on four different subjects using a muscle activation measuring machine to determine which exercises are most effective for building a muscular, powerful-looking back.

What specific back muscles are being measured in the experiment?

The experiment focuses on measuring the activation of the mid traps, lower traps, upper lats, and lower lats using sensors placed on these muscles.

Why is the lower traps muscle specifically included in the testing?

The lower traps are included because they are an extremely important muscle for overall shoulder health and posture, even though they are often overlooked.

What was surprising about the results for deadlifts in the experiment?

Deadlifts showed surprisingly high activation across all back muscles, which was unexpected. Despite being more of a leg-focused exercise, the back muscles are heavily engaged to stabilize the body during the lift.

What are the benefits of the bent-over row according to the experiment?

Bent-over rows, especially with an overhand grip, led to high activation in the mid-back, while using an underhand grip increased activation in the lower lats. They are great for working the back muscles, but they can be quite fatiguing.

What exercise ranked highest for overall back activation across the subjects?

The deadlift was ranked highest for overall back activation, showing significant muscle engagement across the upper and lower back, despite not being a traditional back exercise.

How does the inverted row perform across different experience levels?

The inverted row performed well for beginners and females, leading to the highest activation for some subjects. However, it wasn't as effective for more experienced lifters like the presenter and Coach Alex, who needed to modify the exercise to increase difficulty.

What is the recommended approach for targeting the mid and upper back?

To target the mid and upper back, exercises like wide-grip seated cable rows and dumbbell chest-supported rows performed best, with a focus on flaring the elbows out and squeezing the shoulder blades together.

What is the recommended exercise for focusing on the lower traps?

Incline prone Y raises came out on top for activating the lower traps. This exercise doesn't require any weight and is highly effective for improving shoulder health and posture.

What exercise did the research suggest was best for activating the lats?

The lat-focused row, a move that combines elements of a row and pull-down, showed the highest activation in the lats, even outperforming lat pull-downs and pull-ups.