Back exercises with dumbbells?

love2lift_85

Hi friends. I'm looking for some new exercises to work my back - build up my pull-up muscles, specifically - using dumbbells. Anyone have any success with this? Is the chin-up bar really the only option?
I've found some help from google searches, but I'd like to know what others around here are doing for back exercises.

jimmmer

Lats are heavily involved in chins/pulls, so you could do some heavy rowing.

It's quite hard to replicate a vertical pull without either using a bar, or some sort of resistance band or a lat pull.

But increasing lat and bicep strength will help. The pecs are also somewhat involved, so some work on those can't hurt.

The core is massively engaged during vertical pulling, so some core development can go a long way.

The best way is to actually use modified chins (using a foot on a chair) or negatives, etc. SO if you aren't dead-set on trying to use your dumbbells, you'll probably get better and faster results doing the actual movement...

jmac4263

If you are using dumbells because thats all you have access to above poster said it... do rows, you can do each arm to isolate or I use the bar and weights and do bent over rows. I do cable rows setting down on the cable machine too. Lat pull downs are good too

He also suggested the doing negatives, I just posted something about help with doing pull ups and I saw that answer alot.

I am hoping to get to be able to do pull ups as I have a weak upper body apparently since I cant do more than 1!!

Good Luck!

jimmmer

Chins respond well to "greasing the groove."

If you can already do 1, then put a bar somewhere you have to pass multiple times a day.

Everytime you go past the bar - crack off a rep. Slowly, increase the number you do over time and you'll be surprised how you're able to bust out a set of them.

SonyaCele

do negatives, jump up to the bar and lower yourself down as slowly as possible.