Check out three workouts that will help you achieve shredded back - no equipment needed!
Want to add some definition to your back before beach season gets here? Here are three bodyweight workouts to help you get a shredded back – no weights required!
Anatomy of the Back
Your back is a super complex set of muscles and connective tissue; it’s made up of more than your lats! Before we jump into the three workouts for a shredded back, let’s first take a look and understand the muscle groups that make up your back.
Latissimus Dorsi: See those wing-like muscles next to your ribs on your back? More commonly known as lats, this part of your back is responsible for allowing proper extension and rotation of your arms and shoulders.
Teres Major: Situated comfortably beneath your lats is the teres major. Aside from supporting your lats, it’s also important for your rotator cuffs, allowing you to move your arms up and down.
Trapezius: This is the strip of muscle that connects to the back of your skull and runs down your shoulders. Better known as your traps, there are three sections of the trapezius muscle tissue: upper (neck), middle (shoulders), and lower (upper back). Traps help you to move your shoulders through a complete range of motion.
Rhomboid: Underneath your traps, you’ll find the rhomboid muscle. This thick piece of muscle tissue supports the flexion and extension of the shoulder blades and lower traps. In fact, it’s the reason you’re able to squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Erector Spinae: Think of the erector spinae as a foundational muscle that runs the length of your spine. It helps you sit up straight, twist from side to side, and flex the spine. These pieces of muscle also help to protect your spine from compression or direct impact.
Shredded Back Workouts
Now that you understand the muscles that are involved in getting that shredded look, here are three workouts that you can start using right away.
1. Back and Biceps Hazard
Your biceps are a secondary muscle group that is involved during all back exercises. This is good news for you since you’ll be able to tone your arms while you get a shredded back.
The Back and Biceps Hazard workout can be found in the Madbarz app, and it focuses on increasing back strength and endurance. Be sure to use the Madbarz app to track your workout progress!
1. Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 10 repetitions
2. Negative Chin-Ups: 4 x 10
3. Inclined Chin-Ups: 4 x 15
4. Wide Pull-Ups: 4 x 8
5. Shoulder Width Chin-Ups: 4 x 10
2. Upper Body Day
One of the best ways to improve your performance during a back workout is to train the opposing muscle group: the chest.
Upper Body Day is a workout that alternates between back and chest exercises. This gives the back muscles more time to rest and build up energy, allowing you to do more repetitions and see better results.
1. Push-Up Hold: 4 sets of 25 seconds
2. Pull-Ups: 4 x 10 repetitions
3. T-Rotation Plank: 4 x 15 repetitions
4. Decline Pike Push-Ups: 4 x 10 repetitions
5. Pull-Up Hold: 4 x 15 seconds
3. Back Blaster
This pull-up workout focuses on taking the traditional back exercise and adding a twist. This will help to improve strength, increase functional movement patterns, and of course, get shredded.
1. Archer Incline Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 8 repetitions
2. 90-Degree Pull-Up Hold: 4 x 5 seconds
3. Commando Pull-Up: 4 x 10
4. Around the World Pull-Ups: 4 x 8