Exercise
Best Workout for Shoulder and Back: Your Complete Guide
Here is your complete guide to workout for shoulder and back
Introduction to Workout for Shoulder and Back
Performing back and shoulder exercises on the same day is an excellent way to combine these two important muscle groups. This back and shoulder workout routine is intended to develop a muscular, strong back as well as broad, massive shoulder muscles. What do you need to know about workout for shoulder and back? Why workout for shoulder and back are important? Here is your complete guide to workout for shoulder and back.
In this article, you’ll learn the advantages of training your back and shoulders at the same time, as well as an overview of the workout routine. You’ll also find a detailed breakdown of the best exercises for your back and shoulders, as well as instructions on how to do them.
This back and shoulder workout routine is one of many premium workouts available in the StrengthLog app, which you can get for free by clicking the buttons below.
The Importance of a Muscular and Strong Back
They say that what is out of sight, is out of mind. However, for a bodybuilder or athlete, the back muscles are crucial for performance and appearance. Your physique will never be as good as it can be unless you have a back that matches the rest of your body.
Your back muscles are some of the largest and strongest in your body, and developing them takes a lot of hard work and sweat. However, the effort is worthwhile because a muscular back stands out and demands attention.
Almost all athletic activities rely on your back for performance. If you don’t have back strength, you’re limited in what you can do—even simple tasks like lifting something heavy from the floor benefit from a strong back.
Shoulders that are broad and strong help you look your best
You need some muscle mass on those shoulders to look your best. Many people associate wide shoulders with athleticism. Furthermore, broad shoulders draw attention to your back and make your arms appear larger. If you’re a bodybuilder, the 3D look of massive shoulders makes for an eye-catching upper body.
The importance of strong shoulders for athletic purposes cannot be overstated. When it comes to upper-body performance, chances are you rely on your shoulder strength. In addition, good shoulder stability reduces the risk of shoulder joint injury.
Even if your bone structure does not lend itself to naturally broad shoulders, a good shoulder workout routine, such as StrengthLog’s back and shoulder workout, will help you add muscle mass to your delts and make your entire upper body appear more impressive.
Can You WorkOut Your Back and Shoulders on the Same Day?
Yes, please! It’s more common to train back with biceps or give your back its own training day, but training back and shoulders on the same day isn’t a bad idea. On the contrary, combining your back and shoulder workouts into a single training session has a number of advantages.
When you train your back, your shoulder muscles almost completely relax. This means that even if you’ve already trained your back, you’ll be at your strongest when doing delt exercises. When compared to the popular chest+shoulder workout routine, where your shoulders are heavily involved when you train your chest and tired when it’s time to hit them, this is a much better option.
You can begin your workout with either the back or the shoulders without affecting the muscle group that comes last. If you prioritize shoulders, train them first, and if you prioritize building your back, start with it.
Supersetting is achieved by training the back and shoulders on the same day. If you’re short on time, you can superset your back exercises with your shoulder exercises with no rest and still perform well.
Read More About Best Biceps Workout With Dumbbells.
The Fundamentals of StrengthLog’s Back and Shoulder Workout
In this workout, you first work on your back, then your shoulders. Training your back is more difficult, and most people will prefer to do it when they have the most energy. However, if you prioritize your shoulders, feel free to reverse the order and begin your workout with shoulders. One advantage of training your back and shoulders on the same day is that you can tailor the workout to your preferences while still performing well.
The back and shoulder workout on StrengthLog is intended for intermediate to advanced lifters or bodybuilders. It’s a high-volume workout, and if you’re just starting out, it’s probably too much too soon. For a great introduction to strength training in general or bodybuilding in particular, check out StrengthLog’s Barbell Training Program for the Beginner, Upper/Lower Body Split Program, or Bodybuilding for Beginners.
A barbell, a set of dumbbells, a weight bench, and a cable pulley machine are required for this workout. Prepare for a mix of compound exercises with heavy weights and isolation exercises with light weights where you chase the pump.
Here’s a quick rundown of the back and shoulder workout.
Read More About The Best Back Workout For Men.
Back Exercise
The back workout includes five exercises: four for the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles, and one for the lower back. This is an excellent back workout for both width and thickness because it combines vertical pulls (pull-ups and pulldowns) and rows.
- Pull-ups or lateral pulldowns
- Rowing with Barbells
- Rowing with Dumbbells
- Shrugs
- Back Extending
Shoulder Exercise
Your shoulder workout, like the back session, consists of five exercises, ranging from heavy presses to isolation exercises like lateral raises, to hit your shoulders from every angle. You don’t want to overlook any part of this complex muscle group if you want to develop your delts completely.
- Overhead Printing
- Rowing Monkeys
- Lateral Dumbbell Raise
- Front Dumbbell Raise
- Rear Delt Row with Dumbbells
Volume of Training and Recovery
The back and shoulder workout on StrengthLog is a high-volume session that requires focus and effort, but it rewards you with complete back and shoulder development. In your StrengthLog app, you can see the exact number of sets and reps.
There are several major muscle groups in your back, including the lats, trapezius, rhomboids, and the erector spinae in your lower back. Your deltoids are divided into three groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior.
The Exercises for StrengthLog’s Back and Shoulder Workout
It’s time to work out! Pack your gym bag and get ready for a tough back workout and a fantastic shoulder workout!
Getting Ready
Warming up your body for the work ahead is always a good idea. You improve your focus and flexibility while increasing blood flow to your muscles. You may reduce also your risk of injury.
Start with a few minutes of moderate-intensity cardio to get the blood flowing. While not required, it is an excellent way to raise your body temperature and heart rate. You’re not going for aerobic fitness here, just warming up, so keep the intensity of your exercise low to moderate. You want to conserve energy for lifting.
Because the shoulder joint is complex and has a distinct range of motion, you may want to begin with some shoulder-specific dynamic warm-up movements.
- Arm circles, progressing from small to full range of motion.
- Rotator cuff muscle circles with a pendulum.
- Shoulder rolls are performed both forward and backward.
- Without any external load, perform overhead pressing movements.
To prepare for the first exercise in the back and shoulders workout routine, do a couple of ramp-up sets of lat pulldowns.
Once you’ve warmed up sufficiently, it’s time for the first exercise: either a pull-up or a lat pulldown, depending on your preferences.
Pull-ups and lateral pulldowns
Pull-ups and lat pulldowns are both excellent exercises for developing a broad upper back in the first exercise of StrengthLog’s back and shoulder workout.
The pull-up is a bodyweight exercise that requires only a pull-up bar. For more than a century, athletes and bodybuilders have used it to increase back strength and size. It primarily targets your lats, but it also targets the lower parts of your trapezius and biceps. Pull-ups require a lot of body control and stability, and they can be difficult to perform with perfect form. If you are unable to complete eight reps, I recommend substituting lat pulldowns for the pull-up.
If you’re extremely powerful, your body weight may not be enough. In that case, wear a weight belt and suspend a plate between your legs for added resistance.
The lat pulldown is another great exercise for developing your lats. The lat pulldown machine makes it a more comfortable and stable option, and many lifters prefer it to the pull-up for its ease of focus on the working muscles.
Choose between the pull-up and the lat pulldown as your preferred width-builder. Whatever you choose, make sure to use proper form. That means no kipping your legs and knees in the pull-up and no leaning backwards or rocking back and forth in the lat pulldown.
Barbell Row
The barbell row, also known as the bent-over row, is a staple compound exercise in most back workouts for good reason. It’s one of the best back exercises for bulking up and a great assist exercise for powerlifting exercises like the squat and deadlift.
When you look at how high-level bodybuilders perform barbell rows, you’ll notice that they all do it differently. Some lean forward until they reach parallel; others stand almost upright. Some prefer an underhand grip over an underhand grip, and some use a wide grip while others hold their hands closer together.
These are all valid variations of the barbell row, but for StrengthLog’s back and shoulder workout routine, you’re going back to basics. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the bar with an overhand grip and your hands just outside the width of your knees. Lean forward until your upper body is slightly higher than parallel to the floor and your upper arms are straight down. Standing more upright shifts more of the work to your traps and upper back, but leaning forward like this is a fantastic mass builder for your entire back.
Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell rows work your upper back, core muscles, and biceps. You won’t be able to use as much weight in a single-arm row as you would with a barbell. Instead, dumbbell rows provide a full range of motion, which may benefit muscle growth. It’s also an excellent exercise for developing and maintaining good posture, as it strengthens the muscles required to retract your shoulder blades and prevent slouching.
The dumbbell should be rowed closer to the hip than the shoulder. This forces your back to do the majority of the work rather than your biceps and rear deltoids.
Overhead Press
You’re starting with the overhead press, which is one of the best exercises for developing strong deltoid muscles in the front delts. For this back and shoulder workout routine, we’ll do a standing overhead press with a barbell. It will allow you to use a heavier weight and force your shoulders to grow.
Without bouncing or using your leg drive, press the bar to an overhead position with straight arms. Involving your lower body for momentum transforms the overhead press into a push press, which is an excellent exercise in its own right. However, you’re trying to isolate your delts here, not your entire body, so keep it strict and let your shoulders do the work.
Front Raise
Front delts get a lot of attention in pressing exercises for the chest and shoulders, but nothing beats front raises with a barbell or a pair of dumbbells for isolating them.
You may be tempted to choose a weight that is too heavy, as with side laterals. Avoid this rookie error by isolating the correct muscles with dumbbells that can only be lifted with your front deltoids. No swinging!
Read Also: Bench Glute Workout.
Lateral Dumbbell Raises
While heavy compound exercises are a must for anyone looking to gain strength and muscle, isolation work should be included for complete muscular development. Consider your side delts. Overhead presses may be your go-to shoulder exercise, but dumbbell lateral raises isolate your side delts and build shoulder width like no other.
Leave your ego at the door and choose a pair of dumbbells that will allow you to perform the exercise with proper form and a good mind-muscle connection. The dumbbell lateral raise is one of the best exercises for the deltoid’s outermost part. 2 If you use momentum to lift more weight than you can handle, the work is transferred to the front of your shoulder and traps, defeating the purpose of the exercise.