Using simple dumbbells, this dumbbell back workout instruction will help you build massive muscle and insane posterior strength.
If you walk into any gym, you'll see that there are rows upon rows of cardio machines. They're all lit up like crack Christmas trees. You'll also see several high-priced stationary machines, each of which is meant to target different muscles in your body.
If you make your way down to the iron room, you'll find barbells, plates, racks, and, of course, a full set of dumbbells.
And now we're going to teach you how to build a brutally effective dumbbell back workout with those dumbbells.
With this lats, traps, and delts-focused workout routine, it's time to develop it and show it...
Why Use Dumbbells Bro?
Dumbbells provide a fast, easy and portable workout stimulus. They help you build skill, strength, power and a hell of a lot of muscle mass.
You might be wondering why dumbbells are so popular. What is it about them that everyone adores? The answer is that they offer advantages that barbells and other similar equipment do not.
They are less expensive to purchase than strength machines and are easier to set up than barbells. They are, without a question, the most adaptable instrument you have at your disposal.
#1. Overcome muscle imbalances
When using barbells, if you have a dominant side, it will usually take over. When you arm curl or bench, for example, if your left arm is stronger, it will take the focus off your right side. You'll never get a chance to fix it this way.
Dumbbells allow you to load each arm (or leg) separately, allowing you to work your entire body unilaterally. This is ideal for more focused, directed treatment on specific muscles and different aspects of your body.
#2. Find a more natural movement pattern
You can flex, extend, and twist your limbs through a range of motion that suits you and your preferences because dumbbells aren't fixed.
During the Arnold press, for example, you rotate your wrists and shoulders to alternate activation of your lateral and front delts. Alternatively, you might switch from a neutral to an overhand grip throughout the one-arm row to strike your traps harder.
Almost any barbell workout you can think of can be done with dumbbells... and, in most cases, with minor adjustments to movement patterns.
#3. Improve coordination
Dumbbells are useful for improving motor skills like coordination, balance, and body awareness because they have less stability than machines and barbells. Strength and speed develop as intramuscular skills improve.
#4. Add variety
With dumbbells, you may do a limitless amount of exercises, with hundreds of variants to cover every major muscle group. Even minor adjustments to your range of motion can transform a mundane, uninspiring exercise into an entirely new muscle-building stimulus.
Dumbbell Back Workout: The Exercises
We gathered our top trainers and exercise scientists in the SpotMeBro meeting rooms for this workout to offer their vast expertise and knowledge of how to grow a massive back.
We came up with the following exercises after much debate, disagreement, protein shake chugging, and arms flexing.
For you, we've included not only a list of exercises, but also coaching points, reps, and sets. All you need to bring is your "A" game.
#1. Dumbbell Deadlift
Do you have to deadlift with a barbell all of the time?
The answer is hell no.
Instead of loading up in front as you would with a bar, dumbbells allow you to relocate the angle of pull directly across the center line of your body.
This makes it much easier to maintain balance and sit back into the deadlift.
In each hand, take a dumbbell and hang it by your sides. The palms of your hands should be facing your body.
Flex your knees and hips while keeping the dumbbells close to your body, with your feet somewhere between hip and shoulder-width apart.
Your goal is to hinge at the hip and let your chest sink to the floor. Your back should be at a 45-degree angle at the bottom of the exercise, with your shoulders directly in front of your knees and your hips higher than your knees.
Push through your heels and return to the starting position after a brief break, ensuring that you extend at the hip and knee under control.
Muscle worked: Trapezius, hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, forearms
Reps and sets: 3-4 x 6-10 reps
#2. Pronated Grip Bent Over Row
Nothing beats a muscle-building whole dumbbell back workout that includes a punishingly heavy row movement.
Changing your grip has a significant impact on muscle recruitment during rows. We want to work the upper back retractors as much as possible for this lift, thus using an overhand (pronated) grip allows you to work the traps and rhomboids more.
Hinge at the hips with a pair of dumbbells until your chest is facing the floor. To get the depth you require, you'll need to bend your knees slightly and stick your ass out like a hoochie momma.
Pull the dumbbells up to your chest once you're ready, keeping your upper body in a straight, firm position. At the height of the movement, try to push your shoulder blades together. Don't jerk or use excessive momentum.
Slowly return the weights to the start position after a brief interval, without jeopardizing the start position.
Muscle worked: Trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, biceps, forearms
Reps and sets: 3-4 x 8-15 reps
#3. Dumbbell Shrugs
Do you want a pair of bulletproof traps that connect your boulder-ball delts to a thick alpha neck? Shrugs are the way to go, man.
Shrugs are a basic but highly efficient exercise for achieving that tapered look and don't-f*ck-with-me physique.
Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and hang them from your shoulders. You'll need to use your traps right away to keep the heavy-ass load from pushing your scapula down. Maintain a horizontal line between your shoulders and the floor.
Pull your shoulders towards your ears with your arms locked out and the bells close to your body. You should keep your head forward and your gaze fixed on the horizon.
The range of motion may appear limited, but the goal here is to elevate your shoulder girdle.
Muscle worked: Trapezius
Reps and sets: 3-4 x 5-8 reps
#4. Dumbbell Bent Arm Pullover
A classic for developing a sun-blocking lat spread and a barrel-like upper body. The pullover smacks your pecs and lats square in the face.
Take a dumbbell and hold the underside of it. Push the bell above your chest while seated on a bench.
Slowly extend your arms behind your head while holding the weight until you feel a stretch in your lats. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows the entire time.
Pull the dumbbell back to the start position after a brief pause at the bottom of the exercise. Pulling from your elbows rather than your wrists will assist you to improve your mind-muscle connection.
Muscle worked: Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major
Reps and sets: 3-4 x 10-12 reps
#5. Reverse Flyes
You can work your rear delts and rhomboids with reverse dumbbell flyes. It aids in the development of symmetry, general back mass, and the integration of all muscles with no weak areas. Just keep in mind that it doesn't take a lot of weight to appropriately target these muscles.
Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your chest facing the ground in a hip-hinged stance. If you prefer, you can sit at the end of a bench.
Fly the weights out in a broad arc with a tiny bend in your elbows, as if you were trying to push the dumbbell as far away from your body as possible.
At the top of the exercise, try to draw your shoulder blades together without using too much upper or lower body momentum.
Slowly return to the starting position after a little wait.
Muscle worked: Dear Deltoids, Rhomboids, Trapezius
Reps and sets: 5 x 12-15 reps
Related article: Best Back Muscle-Building Workouts
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