Your First Back Workout: A Beginner's Guide to a Stronger Back
This workout is for you if you are brand new to lifting and want to start building a stronger back. It uses simple movements to help you feel more upright, move better day to day, and lay a solid foundation for everything else you will ever train. We'll walk you through every step so you can feel confident from the very first rep.
What the research says
A couple of things from the research are worth knowing before you get started. First, rest matters more than you might think. One study on resistance-trained men found that resting 3 minutes between sets produced significantly greater gains in muscle strength and size compared to resting only 1 minute, so we build real rest time into this session. Second, one study compared students who learned weight training in a traditional class versus online and found that the online group scored significantly lower on strength tests for both upper and lower body, with possible reasons including lower motivation and less accountability. Showing up and being present makes a real difference.
The rest-period finding comes from a controlled 8-week study on trained men, which gives it reasonable weight, though it was conducted on an experienced population rather than beginners specifically. The attendance finding is from a single 16-week class study, so treat it as directional, not definitive.
A study on resistance-trained men found that resting 3 minutes between sets led to significantly greater increases in muscle strength on the 1-rep-max squat and bench press, and significantly greater muscle thickness in the front of the thigh, compared to resting only 1 minute between sets over an 8-week training period.
View study →A study comparing three university weight-training classes found that the online group, which did not attend in-person sessions, scored significantly lower on both upper-body strength (bench press) and lower-body strength (squat) tests than the in-person groups, with the researchers noting possible reasons including lack of motivation, low accountability, and the possibility that self-reported workouts were not accurate.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position. Perform a rear lunge by stepping back with one foot and flexing the hips and front knee. As you do so, rotate your torso across the front leg. After a brief pause, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side, continuing in an alternating fashion.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position. Keeping your arms straight, swing them straight up in front of you 5-10 times, increasing the range of motion each time until your arms are above your head.
Main
Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position. Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent. Now grab the bar with one arm just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position. Pull the bar straight up with your elbow in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Do not allow for any swinging of the torso. Only the arm should move. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones). Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and switch arms.
With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your torso), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward by bending at the waist; as you bend make sure to keep your back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side (as you breathe out), keeping the elbows close to the body (do not exert any force with the forearm other than holding the weights). On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing each other), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side as you breathe out, squeezing your shoulder blades together. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position. Tip: Keeping the torso as straight as possible maximizes biceps stimulation while minimizing back involvement. As you breathe out, pull your torso up until your head is around the level of the pull-up bar. Concentrate on using the biceps muscles in order to perform the movement. Keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar. After a second of squeezing the biceps in the contracted position, slowly lower your torso back to the starting position; when your arms are fully extended. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Cooldown
Position yourself on the floor on your hands and knees. Pull your belly in and round your spine, lower back, shoulders, and neck, letting your head drop. Hold for 15 seconds.
Sit upright on a chair. Bend to one side with your arm over your head. You can hold onto the chair with your free hand. Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat for your other side.
This entry is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you feel sharp pain, dizziness, or discomfort at any point, STOP the exercise immediately. If you have an existing back condition or injury, check with a doctor or qualified health professional before starting this or any workout program.