“COMPLETE” Back Workout (Width, Density, Strength!)

Daily complete workouts for more than just a big back here

A complete back workout needs a few elements in order to be called this. First of all, if you want to build a complete back you need to focus on building lat width or v-taper, lat thickness or density, and the often overlooked lower back endurance and strength. Many people tend to overlook the last component of this as it is not as impressive as the first two. That said, if you are one of them, you are likely holding back the kind of lats size and strength that you could be seeing from your hard back workouts. Let me explain.

The strength of your lumbar paraspinals is crucial if you want to develop a complete back. Your lats and rhomboids rely on the stability that your lower back muscles can provide you for the big lifts. Think about the deadlift, row, or the barbell dead row (as seen in this video) and realize just how important the stability of the lower back is to helping you lift a lot of weight on those moves not to mention stay healthy when performing them.

If your lower back is weak you will either break form and get injured or you won’t be able to create the stabile platform that your lats and upper back need to exert their strength. That said, in this back workout video, I show you a complete back workout routine that you can do to start building a seriously bigger, wider back.

I start by targeting the mid back with heavy lat pulldowns and barbell dead rows. These two exercises aim to increase the thickness and width of the v-taper in the lats. I perform 3-4 sets of each with a weight that allows me to get 8-10 solid but heavy reps in good form. Before moving onto the next zone however I finish up this one with a combination exercise that targets the all important low back muscle endurance. I do this with the static hyperextension with dumbbell Y lift.

Next I move onto the often times weaker upper back muscles. Here I hit them with the hi-boy rows and perpendicular landmine rows. These two exercises allow me to alter my bar path to allow my elbows to travel higher up on my chest. This allows me to work the upper back much more efficiently and overload once again with the same rep and loading scheme as before.

Once again I finish with a new version of the static hyperextension exercise. This time I row a pair of dumbbells for 12-15 reps while trying to keep the tension and strength in my lower back.

I finish with the angle of death back exercise. This complete back exercise is the perfect ending for the complete back workout. As you can see, it hits every part of my back and the rest of my posterior chain. I try to do as many reps as I can until failure.

[metube]

I swear this guy never runs out of exercises.

[simonnordon]

Man the theory behind your workouts is solid but sometimes I think you just want us to be the weirdest looking guy in the gym haha

[Jwood]

Jeff has an obvious passion for this and we are all blessed to have such a humble guy share his knowledge with us. and i do mean functional info, not the classic roided up expert selling their "this is how i got so big" B.S💩 thank u so much Jeff from North Carolina

[offthegridhealth]

Wait. Did anyone catch the fact that Jeff did dead rows with 225 lbs. for reps! That's serious business.

[theroadvikings]

LOVE your stuff, Jeff. I, too, am a therapist and a strength and conditioning coach, and really appreciate your in-depth explanations about every aspect of the targeted exercise and its corresponding anatomical structures. I have sent both patients and trainees to your channel (to hear it from the highest power, as I say) and they are in awe. Hands-down you are the best \m/

[BrianPellerin]

4:46 is my favourite exercise in this video.

[phlegmwad]

Just did this workout today and my back feels so freakin good right now. There's an amazing tingling from my glutes to my mid back. Finished with the bodyweight ab shuffle. I can tell my back problems are going to disappear by working out this way.

[scottdunn]

Just started watching this guy seriously over the last week. He is solution oriented ... does not seek a mask of the problem but goes straight to the problem with his knowledge and on- hands understanding! Beats anything I have ever seen ... a homeopathic physical trainer. I have seen more content of source of problems and wide variances of solutions based on the science of the body ... thank you Jeff.

[Chapsn]

Looks great but since it's only my second week back at the gym after beating cancer, I think I'll keep it more basic for now haha ;)

[abdulmgedoboud]

Hello Jeff I'm 21 years old from Saudi Arabia i have been watching your channel for 2 years. I learned a lot from your videos thank you very very very much you are an amazing person and keep up the good work.

[allenbinion]

Never thought a Youtube trainer could feel like a personal teacher. This guy managed it. Its great. Thanks for all you do!!

[mapsandmaverics]

Had back workout today should have seen this before I left for the gym

[johnlosurdo]

I’m 52 years old been working out for about 35 years you are the absolute best trainer ever seen in my life

[ΜανοληςΞυνιδακης]

You are a very nice guy.!!!! Like to watch your different exercises. Greetings from 😁

[ckryegrass]

I have been in this game a long long time and this guy knows what he's talking about. I have skeptically tried in particular his shoulder workout and the small difference he shows on dumbbell side raises is spot on. Huge difference.

[kingv]

Everything looks great but those high rows look a little risky for the shoulder. It appears it'd be pretty easy to cause impingement similar to an upright row.

[UNratedTeen]

That pep talk at the end of the video is so motivational. Thanks Jeff, you make me very disciplined in my training attacking my workouts even on days I don’t feel like it

[yugirohanma]

this channel is the shit, i learn so much.

[pandavt]

Great video. 12hrs since workout and the soreness is kicking in. This is hands down one of the most informative training channels I've subscribed to. Learning the "how" is great but learning the "why" is what makes this great. Anybody can copy a recipe but it's real helpful to know what the spices are and what they do.

[japaras]

5:05 If I start doing this in my gym, my ass is getting jumped.