How To Build A Bigger Stronger Muscular Back in 28 Days (Complete Guide)
By bulksupplementsdirect
Our Summary And Answer: Build a bigger stronger muscular back
If you want a bigger, stronger more muscular back and are tired of training so hard but not reaping the benefits then this is for you!
We have taken all the guess work, spoken to large number of people and collected all the information and put it together here so you dont have to!
Following this blog will arm you in how to setup your back training and diet to ensure you are able to grow your back in 28 days!
They will tell you to work out hard and heavy and keep doing those deadlifts; eat like a horse and you will grow your back and look like a cobra from the back!
You have done all that, and have been doing it all for 3 months but my back still looks like a wet blouse! What did I do wrong?
Answer : I didn’t plan my back workouts. What did that mean? I didn’t plan to succeed so I defaulted to plan to fail!
So what did I do? I spoke to people who had the back muscle and size that I wanted to achieve and then absorbed all the information from them and created a complete back training workout that was geared around strength and size!
So in this article, I’m going to show how I built my back and what I did to ensure I was going to be successful!
But don’t take my word for it! Put your focus and effort in this 28-day back workout routine that I have laid about below and your back will get bigger, stronger and leaner! But let me be clear – this is NOT going to be easy! I need your commitment, blood, sweat and tears!
Let me also be clear, there are no amount of pills, potions or powders that will allow your back to take on the appearance of a Cobra from the back! There is only hard work, good work ethic, repeatable workouts and solid diet and nutrition!
So let’s stop the intro and now lets get in to the nuts and bolts of what you need to do!
Recommended Read: >>> 15 Compound Back Exercises For A Big Back <<<
Understanding the Anatomy of the Back
Right, first things first! The Back! Let’s first make sure we understand what muscle the back comprises of.
The back is made up of six key muscles and these are
- Trapezius (traps)
- Rhomboids
- Teres major and minor
- Infraspinatus
- Latissimus dorsi (lats)
- Erector spinae (iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis muscles)
The upper part of the back is known as the thoracic spine, which includes the trapezius, rhomboids, teres muscles, infraspinatus, and lats. These are often referred to as the “show muscles”.
The lower back is referred to as the lumbar spine, which is mainly the erector spinae muscles shown below :
Fundamentals of Back Muscle Building
You are reading this because it’s like that you don’t have the back that you want and so you are probably making two of three mistakes :
- Poor Diet : You are probably not eating enough, right or too little and not taking advantage of the muscle boosting affects that a diet brings,
- Incorrect Exercises : You are likely not doing the correct exercises for your back and so are either training too much or too little
- Incorrect Frequency : You can train hard and you can train long, but you can never train long and hard.
I will put my hand up and tell you that I was a victim of all three of the above and that stopped my gains when it came to the v-taper back I wanted. I was blindly just carrying on with what I was doing, not realising that all my efforts were wasted!
So what did I do to fix it?
- I performed a larger % of compound movements
- I kept my rep ranges to the 4 to 8 reps on all compound movements
- I ensure that my back work outs were focussed around barbell and dumbbell pulling and weights chin ups; focussing on contracting my back at the top and bottom.
It wasn’t until I did the above, did I see real changes in my back muscles and progress!
Once I started training that way, I finally started seeing real changes in my back for the first time in a long time.
Forget the Deadlifts and fancy exercises. They hold a place in workouts but if you are not training for Power Lifting then you have no business performing these dangerous movements!
Recommended Read: >>> The Ultimate Guide to Back Training <<<
The Diet for a Bigger Back
We are what we eat has never been so true; and it also holds 1st place if you want to build slabs of muscles to your back and overall physique.
Your success or failure is tightly linked to what you put in your mouth as part of your overall training and diet routine
- Keep your Protein to 1g per 1lb of Bodyweight
- Keep your carbohydrates to 3g to 4g per 1lb of Bodyweight
- Keep your healthy fats to 40g to 70g per day
Use the above as a guideline to then create your diet and foods list. Stick to wholesome foods and where possible, eat the foods (as opposed to drinking them!)
Exercises That Will Get You A Bigger Back
Barbell Row
This exercise is a complete mass builder for your overall back, and when done right will ensure that your entire muscles are hit and fatigued. Not much more needs to be said, as the video below shows it all
Dumbbell Row
The dumbbell row is an immense exercise for the back and targets the lats very well
Here is a clip of how its done
Chinup & Pullup
By far one of the best overall back movements to have in your arsenal. If done right, this movement will hit the entire back (with help from the biceps) and has the potential to add slabs of muscle to your upper body.
Here’s how to do a chinup:
Recommended Read: >>> How to Do The Smith Machine Row? <<<
Lat Pull Downs
For those that can’t do pullups, the lat pulldown is a brilliant replacement to build up your strength.
Keep Pushing, Keep Progressing, Keep Growing
There you go! 4 key exercises for your back workouts for the next 28 days! And watch you spawn a cobra looking back!
The critical thing to remember is to feel the exercise in the muscles you are training, increase the rep/weight when you can and focus on getting stronger each time!
The Workouts For A Bigger Back
So if you have got this far then you obviously want to get your back in order! So well done you!
We have covered a lot of information including diet, nutrition, pitfalls, exercises to name a few. How now its time to put it all together so you can have your plan and hit the gym!
The goal for you my friend is to focus the next 28 days on training your back in the best way possible to turn it in to a cobra! You will MUST carry on with your other body part training as that cant be neglected!
So, here’s the workout plan:
Day 1 : 3 Sets of Chin Ups with 4 to 8 Reps
3 Sets of Barbell Rows with 4 to 8 Reps
3 Sets of Dumbell Rows with 4 to 8 Reps
2 Sets of Lat Pulldowns with 15 Reps
Day 5 : 3 Sets of Chin Ups – 5 Reps (if you get to five then add weight)
3 Sets of Barbell Rows with 5 reps (if you get to give then add weight)
2 Sets of Lat Pulldows with 10 reps.
Things To Remember
> Please do ensure to note down your workouts with reps and weights and use that as a focal point to progress in your next workouts
> Take weekly measurements (measuring tape and scales) to ensure you can monitor growth and progress
> Take adequate rest between sets – up to 2 mins
> Don’t go to failure on every set! Always stop shy of ONE rep.
> Once you hit the top rep, then add weight or slow down the tempo of the lift
> So here we have it! A simple plan to get you on your path to creating a bigger stronger muscular back!
> Eat well, lift well, progress always and stay focussed!
Recommended Read: >>> 10 Best Lat Pulldown Alternative Exercises <<<
Frequently Asked Questions When Building A Bigger Back
Should I do a chest supported row?
You can add them sparingly to your workouts but these are movements that add more value once you have started to add muscle to your back
Should I be careful with my shoulders when training back?
Yes. Too much weight can force other body parts to get involved, especially shoulders. So try and mainly correct range of motion and fix your shoulder blades back and down.
Should I perform straight arm pulldown?
Yes, you may as a finisher but that is it.
Should I use wrist straps for back training?
Yes, wrist straps are a useful tool for when grip fails.
Should I perform single arm row if I am doing barbell rows?
Yes, the single arm row forces a deeper stretch in the lat that will break down the muscle fiber.
What if I can't do a Pull Up?
Doing a pull up requires you to build core and upper body strength and so working on this is key. Using the lat pulldown as a precursor for building strength is also acceptable.
Should I add cable rows or back extension ?
No, these can be added for variation after 6 months.
How much muscle growth can I expect in 28 days?
If you target the muscle right, make sure you perform the exercises with the right range of motion, keep to the correct training volume, use the right overhand grip, add more weight when its right and keep on top of your diet then you should be able to add up to 6lb in 28 days.
Can I perform the dumbell rows off a dumb bell rack?
Yes you can as long as its safe to do so!
Can I perform cable rows and lat pulldowns as super sets?
Yes but we would only recommend this after 6 months.
What is the limiting factor for back muscle gain?
Not performing the back exercises properly, not executing full range of motion, not feeling the back muscles when training, not sticking to the lifting routine
What is the difference between pull up and chin up ?
It is the manner in which you perform the movement. Chin Up focusses on ensuring the chin crosses the bar whereas pull up focusses on the upper chest hitting the bar.
How can I maximize muscle growth ?
Follow this blog, focus on the back muscles to instigate muscle growth and use a neutral grip and overhand grip in the exercises.
How do I feel the muscle working ?
Slowly lower the weight and pause briefly and focus on the exercise.
Are Lat Pulldowns essential in the back workout?
Yes, if you can’t do pullups.
Recommended Read: >>> Bent Over Cable Row – How To Do Them Properly! <<<
- Declaration : We may receive free products to review and may earn commissions on purchases made through links on this page and / or website.
- Note: The content on this website is meant to be for information and it should not be taken as medical advice. The content and the products mentioned in them are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Always speak with a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise plan, and /or taking any supplements or changes.
