Over the last 16 years, I've done just about every back exercise. Granted, not all the variations, heck, I thought I knew them all but I'm continually shocked to learn a few new movements that make me sore again like a teenager who hits the weights for the very first time (breaks into Top 80's song by Madonna)....

In that order! That's right. Not only are those a list of the most effective back exercise but they are in order of overall back development importance. Re-read this section again until it soaks in. While you might have 10,000 exercises to choose from, not all of them will be as effective in making your lats so wide it will be hard to walk thru the door.

If you want big barndoor lats, then pull ups are the king. Followed by barbell rows. You'll get a thick, strong back just with pull ups. Add in the barbell rows and you are doing the exercises most professionals do.

Those are the ones who will have bigger and better developed backs then the cable rowers or the people who use those machines week after week. There's absolutely nothing wrong at all with variety but a common mistake so many people make is sticking with lesser known exercises and completely missing out on the foundational exercises.

Between the exercises listed above, you will be doing the top notch, fundamental exercises for overall back development and growth by doing pull movements and row movements. Your muscles will be forced to grow!If anybody has ever told you that you 'have a hole in your back.

And if you think you can only do one style of pull up it only takes a little imagination to realize that even pull ups can be varied quite a lot to hit the muscle from different angles. Even with rowing movements, you can row to the stomach for a completely different focus on muscle then if you row to the chest or row to the chin.

Sound familiar? It is.

The truth is...

If you really want a challenge, see how many high quality pull ups you can do or add weight. You'll bring yourself to the next level.