No back workout is complete without some form of deadlifting. I don’t care who you are, everyone should deadlift. Deadlifting is not bad for your back, deadlfiting with BAD FORM is bad for your back. When done properly you will strengthen your glutes, hips, lower back, core, and essentially everything else in your body to some degree. You don’t have to go super heavy. Additionally, no back workout is complete without pull ups. These are 2 of the more difficult exercises to perform, but they are also 2 of the best for overall development. Try this ladder set next time you train your back.

Ladder Set, starting at 10

Barbell Deadlift

Pull Up

If you are not familiar, a ladder set has a starting number, you perform X number of reps of each exercise, right back to the first exercise minus 1 rep, and keep goin until you only have 1 rep of each to do. This should feel a little (a lot) like cardio.

Make sure when you are performing your deadlifts, as the sets go on the reps decrease, but do not lose tightness as you lift the bar, and keep a flat back. Make sure you do not round over. You should be using a little less weight than you normally do because of the high volume.

For the pull ups, if you are unable to complete the required amount on your own, it would be more than ok to either do them on an assisted machine, or use a band hanging from the bar for assistance, until you are able to complete them on your own. If you are able to do more than 10 with ease, you should add extra resistance. This could be hanging a kettlebell from your waist with a dip belt, or if you are fortunate to have chains, drape one or two around your neck (my preferred version).

This ladder set would be the very last thing you do in your workout, and it is only done once. Try finishing with this for a few weeks, and you’ll be surprised how fast you see a difference!