Anatomy Of The Mid-Back

Upper Trapezius
Triangular shaped muscles located between your neck and shoulder blades.

Middle Trapezius
Muscles located in the middle of your back between your upper and lower traps.

Lower Trapezius
Small, triangular shaped muscles located below your middle traps and between your lats.

Latissimus Dorsi
Large, triangular shaped muscles located just below your shoulder blades. They extend along your spine down to your pelvis.
As noted above, the middle back is primarily made up of the middle and upper trapezius muscles and the latissimus dorsi. The middle trapezius originates from the spine and runs between the upper and lower trapezius muscles. It is responsible for retracting the shoulder blades and pulling them back toward the spine.
The upper trapezius sits above the middle trapezius running from the base of the skull to the outer shoulder blade. This muscle functions to stabilize and rotate the shoulder blade upward during these exercises. It also supports the ability to lift the arms out and away from the body.
The latissimus dorsi is a broad, flat muscle that spans our middle-back stretching to the sides behind our upper arms. It is very influential in upper-body movements as well as spinal stabilization. It also plays a role in supporting our rib cage, contributing to respiration.
Our back muscles are prime movers in many functional activities involving lifting, pulling, rowing, and carrying. These exercises will help strengthen these muscles to improve functional performance in many areas of daily life.
Expert Tips For Middle Back Workouts
- Maintain control of the movements without using momentum to complete the exercise. This ensures targeted muscle activation.
- Keep your back straight with your shoulders down and core engaged to avoid straining the lower back.
- Use a grip that supports optimal muscle engagement. It should be wide enough to engage the middle back muscles without straining the shoulders and lower back.
- Refrain from using too much weight too soon as this can cause incorrect exercise execution leading to injury. Increase gradually as you gain confidence and control.
- Be careful not to lock the elbows during any exercise and keep a slight bend. This helps protect the elbow joint and prevent injury.
- Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades and back muscles during the contraction phases to facilitate the mind-muscle connection.
Reasons For A Weak Mid-Back
There can be many causes for back muscle dysfunction and pain. Some of the main contributors are improper posture and middle-back muscle imbalances caused by muscle underdevelopment.
Muscle imbalances usually arise due to overcompensation from certain muscles to account for weakness in other areas. Performing exercises like the ones above that encourage comprehensive middle back muscle development will help correct these issues.
Improper posture typically resembles slouching or curvature of the shoulders and middle back. This often occurs due to weakness and lack of engagement from the back or core muscles. Core strengthening exercises in addition to the ones discussed above will help mitigate these issues leading to improved posture.
Benefits Of Mid-Back Workouts

Middle-back exercises offer numerous benefits that contribute to overall physical well-being. Following are some of the key benefits they provide.
Improved Posture
Middle back exercises target the muscles responsible for maintaining proper spinal alignment, which can help correct rounded shoulders and slouching. Strengthening these muscles improves posture and minimizes postural abnormalities and pain.
Increased Upper Body Strength
The mid-back muscles, including the rhomboids, trapezius, and posterior deltoids, play a crucial role in various upper body movements. Regular middle back exercises like the chest-supported row, can lead to improved strength in these muscles, allowing for better performance in activities like lifting, pulling, and pushing.
Incorporating middle back exercises like the bent-over barbell row into your chest workout routine can help you achieve a more balanced upper body. By targeting the middle back muscles, you ensure that they receive adequate attention achieving proper development.
Reduced Neck And Shoulder Tension
Weak mid-back muscles can result in overcompensation by the neck and shoulder muscles, leading to tension and discomfort in these areas. Strengthening the mid-back can help alleviate such tension and promote a more balanced distribution of workload among the upper body muscles and can contribute to better muscle mass development.
Improved Athletic Performance
Whether participating in sports, weightlifting, or other physical activities, a strong mid-back contributes to better overall performance. It enhances functional movements, facilitates proper technique, and increases power transfer between the upper and lower body.
Alleviation Of Back Pain
Strengthening the mid-back muscles through exercises including the inverted row can help alleviate back pain. This is especially true in individuals who experience discomfort due to poor posture or muscle imbalances. Improved muscle strength and endura
Conclusion
Our mid-backs are functionally important, yet generally neglected in workout programs. This may result in poor posture, poor mind-muscle connection, muscular imbalances, and persistent discomfort. Targeting mid-back movements in our workouts has several advantages. Mid-back strength improves posture, upper body strength, neck and shoulder stress, athletic performance, and back discomfort.
Some exercises that target the mid-back include the bent-over barbell row, cable face pull, unilateral band row, and T-bar row. Middle back stretches like the seated twist, cobra pose, and bridge pose relieve stress and enhance mobility.
These exercises and stretches help us build a stronger, healthier, and more balanced body by training the mid-back muscles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some common mid-back exercises include bent-over rows, cable face-pulls, reverse flyes, lat pulldowns, and Superman poses.
It is recommended to perform mid-back exercises two to three times per week to allow for adequate muscle recovery and growth.
Yes, several mid-back exercises can be performed at home without equipment, such as the bodyweight row, bird dog, and cobra pose.
Strengthening the mid-back muscles can help alleviate back pain by improving posture, reducing muscle imbalances, and providing better support to the spine.
Yes, beginners can start incorporating mid-back exercises into their fitness routine, but it’s important to start with proper form and lighter weights or use resistance bands and work your way up gradually over time.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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