Let’s discuss, probably the most powerful exercises which you’ll do within the gym, to develop a stronger & wider back.
A 2018 studycompared the electromyographic (EMG) responses in the center trapezius, lower trapezius, infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae during eight back exercises to find out which produces the best muscle activation for every muscle.
Nineteen males accomplished five repetitions of the next exercises using 70% of 1 RM, or body weight resistance: lat pull-downs, inverted rows, seated rows, bent-over rows, TRX rows, I-Y-T raises, pull-ups, and chin-ups.
Here is what the study found:
The 4 exercises that best recruited this muscle were the bent-over row, inverted row, seated row and I-Y-T raises.
The I-Y-T raises outperformed all other exercises when it got here to targeting the lower trapezius. The bent-over row was also significantly higher than the opposite six exercises tested.
The pull-up and chin-up had significantly greater muscle activation than the opposite six exercises. The bent-over row, inverted row, lat pull-down and seated row also tested relatively well.
The I-Y-T raises, inverted row, bent-over row, chin-up and pull-up proved best at targeting the infraspinatus.
The bent-over row proved to be best at targeting the erector spinae.
The results of this study indicate that there wasn’t one specific exercise that was the one best exercise to activate each of the five muscles to the best degree. However, if an individual had to decide on one exercise, the bent-over row activated three of the five back muscles to the best degree and was the second best exercise for the opposite two muscles.
A 2010 studyassessed muscle activation of 35 different exercises of back & biceps, and measured the mean & peak activation of the biceps, lats, & traps, during various back and bicep exercises.
For the study, researcher Bret Contreras used weight from which five reps might be performed, apart from the weighted chin-ups and pullups, where 3RM rep range was used.
(Bret explains mean and peak activation as: “
.”)
Based on the experiment, the highest three exercises when it comes to mean and peak activity for every muscle part were:
BICEPS
Mean: Weighted Wide Parallel-Grip Pull-up, Weighted Chin-up, Barbell Curl
Peak: Weighted Chin-up, Weighted Wide Parallel-Grip Pull-up, EZ-Bar Curl
LATS
Mean: Weighted Chin-up, Weighted Pronated Wide-Grip Pull-up, Rack Pull
Peak: Weighted Pronated Wide-Grip Pull-up, Rack Pull, Underhand-Grip Feet Elevated Inverted Row
MID TRAP
Mean: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Elbows Out Chest-Supported Row, Prone Trap Raise
Peak: Prone Trap Raise, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Elbows Out Chest-Supported Row
LOWER TRAP
Mean: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Prone Trap Raise, Dumbbell Elbows Out Chest-Supported Row
Peak: Dumbbell Elbows Out Chest Supported-Row, Prone Trap Raise, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
Based on the outcomes of this experiment, the next can be a workout that’d goal the lats, mid, and lower traps.
- Weighted Pull Up, Weighted Chin Up, or Weighted Parallel Grip Pull Up
- Dumbbell Bent Over Row or Weighted Feet Elevated Inverted Row
- Dumbbell Elbows Out Chest Supported Row or Prone Trap Raise
- Deadlift or Rack Pull
Based on all of the above experiments, listed below are one of the best back exercises:
- Wide grip pullup, supinated grip chin-up, neutral grip pullup.
- Bent over barbell row (pronated/supinated), T-Bar row, Dumbbell bent over row
- 1-arm Dumbbell row or each arm pronated bench dumbbell row
- Inverted rows (normal & feet elevated), Suspension Inverted rows
- Deadlift & Rack Pull
- Lat Pulldown, Seated Cable row
