Intermediate Back Workout: Build Thickness, Strength, and Control
This session is built for intermediate lifters who already know the basics and are ready to push their back development further. It targets the muscles of the upper, mid, and lower back — helping you move better, stand taller, and lift heavier across everything else you train. If you've been consistent for six months or more and want a structured back day that actually challenges you, this is it.
What the research says
A couple of things from the research are worth knowing as you head into this session. First, when it comes to rest between sets, a study on resistance-trained men found that resting 3 minutes between sets produced significantly greater gains in muscle strength and thickness compared to resting just 1 minute, so don't rush those recoveries. Second, for your warm-up, a study comparing different warm-up approaches found no significant difference in range of motion outcomes between a moderate-intensity cardio warm-up with static stretching and a higher-intensity cardio warm-up with ballistic stretching — meaning the style matters less than simply doing it consistently.
The rest period finding comes from a controlled study on experienced lifters and showed clear, significant effects; the warm-up finding comes from a small sample of mostly moderately active college students and found no significant differences between conditions, so both are worth noting with their limits in mind.
A study on resistance-trained men found that using 3-minute rest intervals between sets produced significantly greater gains in both maximal strength (1RM squat and bench press) and muscle thickness in the anterior thigh compared to 1-minute rest intervals over 8 weeks.
View study →A study comparing two warm-up protocols found no significant differences in range of motion outcomes — for low back, hamstring, or ankle flexibility — between a higher-intensity treadmill warm-up with ballistic stretching and a lower-intensity treadmill warm-up with static stretching.
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
Stand in front of a loaded barbell. While keeping the back as straight as possible, bend your knees, bend forward and grasp the bar using a medium (shoulder width) overhand grip. This will be the starting position of the exercise. Tip: If it is difficult to hold on to the bar with this grip, alternate your grip or use wrist straps. While holding the bar, start the lift by pushing with your legs while simultaneously getting your torso to the upright position as you breathe out. In the upright position, stick your chest out and contract the back by bringing the shoulder blades back. Think of how the soldiers in the military look when they are in standing in attention. Go back to the starting position by bending at the knees while simultaneously leaning the torso forward at the waist while keeping the back straight. When the weights on the bar touch the floor you are back at the starting position and ready to perform another repetition. Perform the amount of repetitions prescribed in the program.
Lie on a flat bench with a barbell using a shoulder grip width. Hold the bar straight over your chest with a bend in your arms. This will be your starting position. While keeping your arms in the bent arm position, lower the weight slowly in an arc behind your head while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest. At that point, bring the barbell back to the starting position using the arc through which the weight was lowered and exhale as you perform this movement. Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number 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 both arms 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 elbows 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: Use a stirrup or double handle cable attachment by hooking it under the end of the bar. 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.
Begin by taking a medium to wide grip on a pull-up apparatus with your palms facing away from you. From a hanging position, tuck your knees to your chest, leaning back and getting your legs over your side of the pull-up apparatus. This will be your starting position. Beginning with your arms straight, flex the elbows and retract the shoulder blades to raise your body up until your legs contact the pull-up apparatus. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Begin by having a platform or weight plates that you can stand on, usually 1-3 inches in height. Approach the bar so that it is centered over your feet. You feet should be about hip width apart. Bend at the hip to grip the bar at shoulder width, allowing your shoulder blades to protract. Typically, you would use an overhand grip or an over/under grip on heavier sets. With your feet, and your grip set, take a big breath and then lower your hips and bend the knees until your shins contact the bar. Look forward with your head, keep your chest up and your back arched, and begin driving through the heels to move the weight upward. After the bar passes the knees, aggressively pull the bar back, pulling your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward into the bar. Lower the bar by bending at the hips and guiding it to the floor.
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 session includes loaded spinal hinging movements — if you have any existing lower back concerns, check with a qualified health professional before attempting deficit deadlifts or heavy barbell rows. Focus on neutral spine position throughout, and NEVER sacrifice form for load.