6 Exercises to Strengthen Your Back

How to Do Each Movement

Assisted Pull Up

This can be done with a bar or rings. Place it in a position where you can pull it all the way up to your chest. Get in position by holding onto the bar and squatting down to where your arms are straight above your head holding onto the bar or rings as if you are hanging there. Engage your lats and pull up to where your chest touches the bar. Lower yourself back down for 1 complete rep.

Bent Over Row

This can be done with dumbbells or a barbell with over hand or under hand grip. Stand with feet hip-width apart and with your hands on the bar about shoulder-width apart. Guide the bar down your legs to just below your knees as if you are completing a Romanian Dead Lift. Keep your shoulders back and core tight and then pull the bar up to your stomach just above your belly button and then lower back down for 1 rep.

Chest Supported Row

Set the bench at a 45 degrees incline. With your dumbbells, lay on your chest on the bench. Let your arms hang down with palms facing each other.  Bring the dumbbells to your ribs while squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows toward the ceiling. Slowly lower the dumbbells for one rep.

Ring Row

Hold onto the rings and place your feet below them. Extend your arms and lean back almost as if you are laying down. Keep your body in a straight line, your shoulders back, core tight and butt tucked under. Pull yourself up to where the rings are at your chest then lower yourself back down for 1 complete rep.

Iso Hold Ring Row

This movement is the same as the regular ring row above, except this exercise is completed for time. Once you get in position and pull yourself up to where your chest is at the rings, hold for a set amount of time or for as long as you can. Make sure to keep your body in a straight line with your shoulders back, core tight and butt tucked under.

Eccentric Ring Row

This movement is also the same as a regular row, except you release and lower yourself back down much slower. Keep your body straight and pull yourself up with the rings as normal, then lower back down very slowly, taking about 3-5 seconds. Make sure to keep your body straight, shoulders back, core tight and butt tucked under.