🦾 BACK EXERCISES

1. Stand with feet hip-width, bar over mid-foot
2. Grip bar just outside legs, hands pronated
3. Hinge at hips, keep back flat, chest up
4. Drive through heels, extend hips and knees
5. Stand tall, squeeze glutes at top
6. Lower with control, same path

• Neutral spine throughout (don't round back)
• Bar stays close to shins and thighs
• Push floor away with legs
• Engage lats to protect lower back

• Rounding lower back
• Bar drifting away from body
• Starting with hips too low or too high
• Jerking the weight off floor

Romanian Deadlift, Trap Bar Deadlift, Rack Pulls

1. Hang from bar, hands slightly wider than shoulders
2. Palms facing away (pronated grip)
3. Pull chest to bar, lead with elbows
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together at top
5. Lower with control to full extension

• Engage lats before pulling
• Pull elbows down and back
• Chest to bar, not chin over bar
• Full extension at bottom (dead hang)

• Kipping or swinging
• Not going to full extension
• Only pulling chin over bar
• Shrugging shoulders

Assisted Pull-Ups, Lat Pulldown, Chin-Ups

1. Hip hinge to roughly 45-degree torso angle
2. Grip bar slightly wider than shoulder-width
3. Pull bar to lower chest/upper abs
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together
5. Lower with control, full arm extension

• Flat back throughout movement
• Row to torso, not to face
• Lead with elbows, not biceps
• Engage lats and mid-back

• Standing too upright
• Rounding back
• Using momentum/cheating
• Not retracting shoulder blades

Dumbbell Row, T-Bar Row, Chest-Supported Row

1. Straddle bar, feet shoulder-width
2. Hip hinge, grip handle
3. Pull weight to chest
4. Squeeze shoulder blades at top
5. Lower with control, stretch at bottom

• Keep chest up, back flat
• Drive elbows back and up
• Full range of motion
• Control the negative

• Using too much momentum
• Rounding lower back
• Not going full range
• Standing too upright

Barbell Row, Landmine Row, Dumbbell Row

1. Sit at machine, thighs under pad
2. Grip bar wider than shoulders
3. Pull bar down to upper chest
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together
5. Return with control, feel stretch at top

• Slight lean back (10-15 degrees)
• Lead with elbows, not hands
• Pull to chest, not behind neck
• Keep core engaged

• Leaning back too far
• Using momentum/swinging
• Pulling behind neck (shoulder strain)
• Not controlling the negative

Pull-Ups, Assisted Pull-Ups, Close-Grip Pulldown

1. Sit at machine, feet on platform
2. Grip handle, arms extended
3. Pull handle to lower chest/upper abs
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together
5. Return with control, feel stretch

• Keep torso upright and stable
• Pull to torso, not neck
• Lead with elbows
• Squeeze at peak contraction

• Rocking back and forth
• Rounding back
• Using too much weight
• Not retracting shoulder blades

Barbell Row, Chest-Supported Row, Machine Row

1. Place knee and hand on bench
2. Other foot on ground, hold dumbbell
3. Pull dumbbell to hip/lower ribs
4. Squeeze shoulder blade in at top
5. Lower with control, feel stretch

• Keep back flat and parallel to ground
• Pull to hip, not shoulder
• Don't rotate torso
• Feel lat working

• Rotating torso excessively
• Using momentum
• Pulling too high (should go to hip)
• Rounding back

Barbell Row, T-Bar Row, Chest-Supported Row

1. Set cable to face height
2. Attach rope, grip ends
3. Step back, arms extended
4. Pull rope towards face, split ends apart
5. Squeeze rear delts and upper back

• Pull to eye level, not chin
• External rotation at end (hands apart)
• Keep elbows high
• Squeeze shoulder blades together

• Using too much weight
• Pulling to chin/chest instead of face
• Not externally rotating
• Dropping elbows

Rear Delt Fly, Band Pull-Aparts, Reverse Pec Deck