This back-blasting extreme workout will build muscle AND endurance

(MensFitnessFocus.com) The back is one of the harder areas for many guys to train, but if done right – and if you dedicate the time it will take to transform your physique and fitness level – you’ll be astounded by the results.

A good back-blasting workout should consist of a variety of movements, and it should also mix in a combination of heavy and lighter weight. Bulk comes with both, and in fact, there is a growing school of thought that lighter weight done with reps to exhaustion not only packs on the muscle but also gives you greater endurance.

Plus, you’ve got to work back into your weekly routine because if you don’t you’re actually limiting your gains. As noted by Men’s Fitness:

Mirror, mirror on the wall, what’s the most important body part of ‘em all? So often, we allow the mirror to answer this question and dictate our training emphasis—chest, biceps, abs. It’s the “beach workout” and the reason most of us go to the gym—to look good naked. But there are two fundamental problems with this. First of all, posture slowly goes to hell in a hand-basket. Overdeveloped mirror-muscles will internally rotate and slouch the shoulders and upper back and you’ll end up looking like a depressed gorilla. Second, the mirror muscles will eventually stop growing.

Self notes further that most of us, at some point in our lives, will experience back pain. Building a better back will help prevent that ailment.  “Strong abs with a weak back is like a bird with only one good wing,” says Alison West, an alignment-based yoga instructor of 25 years, and co-director of Yoga Union Center for Backcare & Scoliosis.

So, what do you say? Let’s get to today’s extreme fitness workout, featuring…your back.

Strength:

6-7 sets

— T-bar back rows (lighter-to-heavy progression, ending with 3/4 of your max for 6-7 reps)

— Hack squat/shoulder presses (same as above; end with 3/4 or your max for as many reps as possible)

— Lat pulldowns (lighter to heavy; max reps each set)

— Bent-over dumbbell rows (50-60 percent max weight to exhaustion on each set)

— Seated row machine (work up to 3/4 of your max weight, to exhaustion)

Stamina:

4-5 rounds

— treadmill sprints @ 10 mph x 30 sec. each

More:

• This Extreme Workout Is Extremely ‘Pressing’
• Got Lats? Here’s An Extreme Fitness Workout For Your ‘Wings’
• Calorie-Burning, Fast-Paced, High Intensity: The Workout That Keeps On Giving

MensFitnessFocus.com is part of USA Features Media.