When it comes to back training, most individuals concentrate on latissimus dorsi, sometimes known as the lats.
Other back muscles, on the other hand, must be developed if you desire a great-looking back.
Your back will be thicker with well-built traps, and powerful erector spinae muscles will boost your lifting performance while lowering your risk of back pain and injury.
Your rhomboids are another muscle to consider when creating a back training program.
We'll go over why this lesser-known back muscle is so important and how to train it in this article.
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Table of Contents
How can I strengthen my rhomboids?
To summarize, go light!
Employ a full range of motion and proper form, and squeeze your rhomboids during maximal contraction in scapular retraction and downward rotation (draw them back and down).
You may strengthen your mind-muscle connection with your rhomboids by going light.
Anatomy of the Rhomboid
The names of the muscles in the human body are frequently intricate.
However, in the vast majority of situations, those names offer interesting characteristics about the person, making it easier to find and identify them.
Biceps refers to a two-headed arm muscle that refers to a massive chest muscle.
Latissimus dorsi muscle is located on the side of the back.
Rhomboid get their name from their shape, which resembles a rhombi.
The rhomboid muscle have two categories: major and minor.
Rhomboid major is the bigger while Rhomboid minor is smaller.
From your cervical and thoracic spine to the edge of your scapulae, or shoulder blade, they run diagonally.
It's rarely required to distinguish between rhomboid major and minor because they work together.
It's also vital to realize that entirely isolating the rhomboids is impossible because they always work with the trapezius muscle's intermediate fibers.
Muscles of the Rhomboid
The rhomboids are a small, slender muscle with certain vital functions:
Your shoulder girdle should be retracted.
Maintaining a flat scapula against the ribs
The shoulder girdle is elevated.
Your rhomboids play a minor role in the size of your upper back.
They are, however, necessary for the stability, function, and posture of the shoulder girdle.
They draw your shoulders back and into a solid and secure stance by working with your middle trapezius.
That's because most strength training exercises require you to draw your shoulders down and back, which puts your shoulders in an anatomically strong posture.
Rhomboids that are weak can cause shoulder joint pain and impair exercise performance.
Most upper body and many lower body workouts include the rhomboids in some way.
However, you could find that instructing them more directly is beneficial.
The Top 10 Rhomboid Exercises
There are numerous rhomboid workouts from which to pick.
Here are TEN of the greatest exercises for exercising this little but important muscle group.
1. Pull-apart bands
One of the most convenient ways to train your rhomboids is to do band pull-aparts.
They can also be used as a warm-up and pre-hab activity before an upper-body workout.
How to go about it:
- Use an overhand, shoulder-width grip to hold your resistance band.
- Raise your arms and level with your shoulders.
- Draw your shoulders back and down.
- Stretch the band across your chest by opening your arms.
- Return to the beginning location and repeat the process.
- By adjusting the angle of your arms and stretching the band diagonally across your chest rather than horizontally, you may work your rhomboids from different angles.
2. Face Pulls
You can do them with a resistance band or a cable machine, which is an excellent alternative for home and garage trainers.
The key to good face pulls is to follow the instructions to the letter.
Focus on lifting your shoulders back while keeping your body still.
The target muscles will be relieved of tension by using heavy weights and cheating the weight up.
3. Barbell Bent-over Rows with a Wide Grip
Your rhomboids are included in all horizontal rowing movements.
Because you must pull your shoulders back to perform them, your arms will have a stable platform to work from.
Wide grip rows, on the other hand, are best for rhomboid activation because they require more shoulder girdle and scapular retraction than narrow grip rows.
How to go about it:
- Overhand grip your barbell with a wider than shoulder-width grip.
- For balance, stand with your feet shoulder and hip width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Lean forward from your hips until your torso is about parallel to the floor.
- Allowing your lower back to round is not a good idea.
- Pull the bar up and into your chest by bending your arms.
- Keep your elbows out and your shoulders level.
- Extend your arms and do it again.
4. Seated Cable Rows with a Wide Grip
Bent-over barbell rows are a great rhomboid exercise but they can be a little difficult on your lower back.
How to go about it:
- Sit on the bench.
- You should have a slight bend in your knees.
- Grip the handle with an overhand grip that is wider than shoulder width.
- Pull your shoulders down and back as you sit tall.
- Pull the bar into your chest by bending your arms.
- Maintain a 90-degree angle between your elbows and your shoulders.
- Extend your arms and do it again.
5. Rows with a Resistance Band
Is there no barbell? Is there no cable machine? It's no problem!
A resistance band can be used to duplicate most rowing activities.
Use a resistance band to perform the following exercises:
- Bent over rows with a wide grip
- Rows with a wide grip when seated
- Rows with a wide grip standing
6. Dumbbell Flyes in the Reverse Position
Dumbbell are thought f as a posterior workout.
They're also a good rhomboid workout because they include shoulder girdle retraction.
Don't go too heavy with this exercise; doing so will almost always end in cheating, which will relieve stress from the target muscles.
Go easy on the weights and concentrate on squeezing your shoulders back and together.
Standing, seated, and lying face down on a bench are all options for reverse dumbbell flyes.
Because it removes any lower body movement, this final variant is perhaps the most effective.
7. Reverse Cable Flys
Because your muscles must work over the entire range of motion when using cables, they may be more effective.
How to go about it:
- In your right hand, hold the left handle, and in your left hand, hold the right handle.
- With your palms facing inward, extend your arms out in front of you.
- Bend your arms and then straighten them.
- Draw your shoulders back and down.
- Your arms should be slightly behind your shoulders when you open them.
- Return to the beginning location and repeat the process.
- Instead of standing, you can practice this exercise reclining face-up on an exercise bench.
8. Shrugs with a Chest Support
Isolation exercises, such as chest supported or prone shrugs, employ only one joint.
This is the workout for you if your biceps are weary or pumped from a lot of rows and pulldowns, or if you just want to train your mid-back with a new sort of exercise.
How to go about it:
- Set a 45-degree angle on an exercise bench.
- With a dumbbell in each hand, lie face down on the bench.
- Turn your wrists inward so that your hands face inward.
- Shrug your shoulders back and together without bending your arms.
- Hold the contraction for two to three seconds.
- Repeat with the dumbbells down to the floor.
- This exercise can also be done with a barbell and an overhand grip.
9. Inverted Rows with a Wide Grip
Many people think of inverted rows as a stepping stone to pull-ups and chin-ups.
It's useful for this purpose, but it's also a fun activity in and of itself.
The inverted row is excellent for targeting the trapezius' middle section, posterior deltoids, and lats.
They're also a good rhomboid workout when done with an overhand grip that's broader than shoulder width.
10. Scapular Wall Slides
Wall angels, also known as scapular wall slides, are a challenging rhomboid, middle trapezius, and posterior deltoid exercise.
Instead of using weights to strengthen your muscles, you'll be working against the tension created by your pecs in this exercise.
This exercise will be more difficult if your pecs are tight.
As a result, scapular wall slides not only work your upper back but also stretch your chest.
If you want to improve your posture, try this exercise every day.
How to go about it:
- Face a smooth wall with your back to it.
- Your feet should be slightly ahead of your hips, and your knees should be bent for stability.
- Raise your arms and press them against the wall with your elbows bent to 90 degrees.
- The tops of your arms should be parallel to the ground.
- Grasp the wall with your lower back.
- Slide your hands upward from this position, maintaining your arms and the backs of your hands against the wall.
- Reach as high as you can while keeping your back against the wall.
- Rep with your hands slid back down.
- If this workout is too difficult for you, try it while lying on the floor.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to the human body's muscles, size does not automatically imply importance.
Large biceps, cannonball deltoids, and enormous quads are all impressive, but minor body components like the rhomboids are as important.
When you do rows and deadlifts, your major and minor rhomboids get a good workout, but if they're weak, they need further attention.
Strengthening your rhomboid muscle can help you perform better, prevent shoulder injuries like shoulder pain, and improve your poor posture.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Pull-up.
The pull-up is the ideal bodyweight upper-back exercise, working the lats, traps, and rhomboids while also taxing your arms and shoulders.
The row strengthens the trapezius and rhomboids muscles, which keep your shoulder blades from shifting while bench pressing.
The more solid your shoulders are, the more strength your arms and chest can create.
When a person does pushups, the upper and middle back muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapeze muscles, do the majority of the work.
The biceps are the muscles in the front of the upper arm.
The triceps muscle is located in the back of the upper arm.
