This article covers weight training exercises from your calves all the way up to your traps. These exercises are for intermediate to advanced people who have weight training experience. Shake up your usual routine by trying out these posterior exercises that target all of the major muscle groups on the rear of your physique. We are going to hit these areas with effective movements that will stimulate growth!
Start your workout with a nice warm-up by doing 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Make sure you are using an overhand grip while pulling with your legs first and then your back, then your arms and finally return the handle under complete control. Aim for 25 to 27 strokes per minutes (spm). Most rowing machines will have a little screen in front of the unit which will provide the spm, time, calories and so on. If you cannot get the required spm with good form then slow down and work on your technique first, then focus on speed.
Once you are done with the warm-up you will continue the training session with dumbbell shrugs completing 3 sets of 10 reps. These are the muscles of the upper back just below the neck. Take 60-90 seconds of rest in between sets and take 2-3 minutes of rest between exercises. Perform shrugs by moving the weight straight up and back down. Bring your shoulders all the way up and try to touch them to your ears in order to get a full stretch and contraction at the top of the movement.
The next exercise will be the reverse pec dec which works the rhomboid muscles between the shoulder blades. It’s just like regular pec dec with your arms softly bent except you will be facing the pad with your chest against it.
Internal and external rotator cuff exercises with a band or cable machine will be your next exercise in the routine. Make sure your elbow is positioned close to your hip and that you use slow and controlled movements only during this exercise. Your arm should maintain a steady 90 degree angle and focus all of the tension directly on the rotator cuff muscles.
Tricep dips will be the next exercise on the list and you will be using a bench for this movement. Keep your feet on the floor if you are not yet able to perform these with your feet up on a secondary bench. Your hands should be placed close to your body with your elbows close to the body as well. Keep your back straight and slowly lower your body down to the bottom position. You will basically drop your butt down while bending your elbows to a 90 degree angle and then press back up placing all of the tension on your triceps muscles (back of the arms).
The king of all exercises is next! Yes, it’s the all mighty deadlift! This fantastic muscle building movement targets the entire body but places the majority of the emphasis on the lower to middle muscles of the back. Avoid bouncing at the bottom and make sure to keep a slow and steady tempo while performing this amazing exercise. At the top of the movement, pay close attention to proper posture with your shoulders back and your chest out. Maintain a straight back as you lower the weight down to the ground. This exercise will also hit the glutes and hamstrings and is an excellent movement for increasing strength, power and size.
Let’s move onto lying hamstring curls and make sure to keep the hips down during this exercise while keeping your stomach flat against the pad. This exercise is great for targeting the muscles on the back of the legs. Make sure each leg is working for itself so that the weaker leg will get stronger and stay in proportion both in size and strength.
The last exercise is the standing calve press with your toes pointed straight ahead. A full range of motion is key here and keeping a slow and controlled tempo throughout the entire movement is crucial. You can use the calf machine or opt for free weights using a step with your toes on the end of the step so that you have enough room to lower your heels all the way down to get an excellent stretch in your calves.
Make sure to stretch your calves, triceps, hamstrings and lower back once you are finished with this workout while holding each stretch for around 15-30 seconds.
