Technique Library - Back Exercises

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The posterior chain is usually undertrained and overlooked! I always add more pulls than pushes in my programming. The back makes up a large part of your body and it is important to have a strong back for many reasons! Pull-ups and rows are excellent exercises for good shoulder health, of course when they are done right. Below are videos and cues for all back exercises you will find in programs now and in the future! Save this post for programs now and in the future. 

Below are cues with short videos to help you with your form so you can reach your goals faster with less pain! 

Back Extension Cues

1. Get into your back extension machine
2. Feet hip-width apart
3. The pad should be at your hips where your hinge
4. Bend over creating a V in your hips
5. Pull back up towards the ceiling and squeeze your whole backside
6. Your glutes and core are the breaks for your lower back so squeeze them at the top
7. Never pull your shoulder way past your hips

Band Assisted Pull Up Cues

1. Grab a band and tie it up around your racks pull up bar (the thicker the band the more help you will get on the way up)
2. Put your foot or knee through the band
3. Make sure your hands are even on the bar
4. Pull your self up as you drive your foot or knee through the band
5. Squeeze your back and scaps at the top
6. Release down as slow as possible

Band Pull Cues

1. Grab a band (the thicker the band the more resistance)
2. Hands even on the band
3. Hold the band out with your arms straight
4. Keep your arms straight and pull the band apart and squeeze your back

Band Pull Down Cues

1. Grab a band (the thicker the band the more resistance)
2. Hands even on the band
3. Hold the band over your head with your arms straight
4. Keep your arms straight and pull the band down and squeeze your back

Bent-Over Row Cues

1. Hands even on the bar
2. Soft knees and push your butt back (like and RDL)
3. When your chest in parallel with the ground
4. Pull the bar in between your ribs and belly button
5. Squeeze your whole back at the top
6. Slow on the way down and full extend your arm

 Regular grip will hit more of your upper back and rear delts while the underhand grip will target more of the mid-back.

Chin Up Cues

1. Grab the bar with your palms towards your face and hands even
2. Core tight and pull yourself up
3. Squeeze your back and scaps
4. Slow on the way down

DB Incline Row Cues

1. Set your bench on an incline
2. Extend your body out and stand tall with your chest and core on the bench
3. Pull the dumbbells up slightly back
4. When you pull the dumbbells to the top slightly lift your chest and squeeze your back
5. Release down slow and extend your arms all the way down

DB Row Cues

1. Put your arm straight on a bench (make sure your wrist is stacked under your elbow and shoulder)
2. Feet hip-width apart and a flat back
3. Pull the back of the dumbbell into your pocket
4. Squeeze at the top and release down slow and extend your arm all the way down

Eccentric Pull Up Cues

1. Stand on a bench or a box
2. Grab the bar with a regular grip and even hands
3. Jump up and squeeze hold at the top
4. Release down slowly until your arms are fully extended

 2-4 seconds is usually good enough but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and fight longer!

Face pull Cues

1. Tie a band to your rack (the thicker the band the more resistance)
2. Grab the band and pull it towards your face
3. As you squeeze everything in your mid and up back slightly raise your hand towards the ceiling
4. SQUEEZE HOLD
5. Release slow

Inverted Pull-Up Cues

1. Set your barbell height at around the height of your hips
2. Get under the bar and grab it with even hands
3. Feet hip-width apart
4. Push your hips up
5. Then pull you’re your ribcage to the bar
6. Squeeze your back
7. Release down slowly until your arms are fully extended

Put your feet up onto a bench to make it more difficult

Neutral Grip Pull Up

1. Grab the bar with your palms facing each other and hands even
2. Core tight and pull yourself up
3. Squeeze your back and scaps
4. Slow on the way down

Pull Up (Regular Grip)

1. Grab the bar with your palms away from your face and hands even
2. Core tight and pull yourself up
3. Squeeze your back and scaps
4. Slow on the way down

Reverse Hyper Cues

1. Lay on the reverse hyper machine
2. Hands even and your hips should be on the edge of the pad
3. Pull your heels up to the ceiling
4. As your heels come up and you squeeze your glutes, look slightly up
5. Squeeze at the top and release down slow (go through the full range of motion)

W Inverted Punch Cues

1. Set your bench on an incline
2. Extend your body out and stand tall with your chest and core on the bench
3. Squeeze your scaps
4. Then lift your elbows to the ceiling
5. Externally rotate the dumbbells up (watch to the ceiling)
6. Punch the dumbbells straight out
7. Rewind slow

Scaps, elbows, rotate, punch

Y to T Fly Cues

1. Set your bench on an incline
2. Extend your body out and stand tall with your chest and core on the bench
3. Arms straight
4. Lift the dumbbells to the ceiling creating a Y
5. Release down as slow as possible
6. Then lift the dumbbells to the ceiling creating a T
7. Thumbs should always lead to the ceiling
8. Always Squeeze your back and scaps