Bigger Stronger Leaner

Tip: Two Back Muscles You're Missing

To build a topographic back, you need more than lat exercises. Here's what you're missing plus two exercises to target those muscles.

by |
Tags

The Key to a Chiseled Upper Back

The lats get a lot of attention, but what's often missing in back training is hitting the mid-back musculature like the rhomboids and mid/lower traps.

Training these muscles will beef up your upper back, making you look impressive with or without a shirt. Having strong mid-back muscles is also crucial for maximizing performance since they're often a limiting factor when it comes to overhead presses, rows, and vertical pulling.

Here are two exercises that'll fire up your mid back:


  • Set two cables up high and about a foot outside of shoulder width. Ideally, it would line up with how wide your elbows are when flared.
  • Pull the cables from high to low as you bring your elbows down and back.
  • Keep your elbows flared out to engage the mid back.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together in the shortened position. Think about pulling the handles back and apart simultaneously.


  • To set up, hold two moderately heavy dumbbells at your side and hinge forward about 30 degrees.
  • Keep your shoulder blades depressed and retract them together.
  • Hold this position and squeeze for as long as you can.
  • Really focus on the mind-muscle connection with this one.

Do these at the end of an upper-body day as a superset for 3-4 sets each. You'll get both static and dynamic contractions to trigger hypertrophy and strength gains. Your rhomboids and traps will get thicker and fuller as a result.