There are a few famous bodybuilders known for their great backs. Arnie, Ronnie Coleman, and Dorian Yates all had one thing in common: they knew the secret to working their back muscles. One of the most powerful secrets is to start each exercise with your back, rather than pulling with your arms.  Beginner-level trainers usually start their workouts with their arms, but experienced athletes know they need to start by engaging their back muscles.  Before we look at some basic tips to build a bigger back, let’s quickly go over some “back science”. Yes, I’m talking about the anatomy of the back here. The trapezius, or traps for short, is a wide, triangular muscle that goes from the base of your neck right down to the middle of your spine. You might be able to feel this muscle working whenever you raise your shoulders or  turn your head. You can focus on this muscle by doing shoulder exercises.  The rhomboid major and minor muscles both start along the spine and attach to the scapula. You can activate these muscles by bringing your shoulders together. The teres major starts along the edge of the scapula and attaches at the humerus. You can pull your arms back because of it.  The latissimus dorsi is the back’s largest muscle and is shaped like a “V”. You’re using this muscle when you pull down or lean forward. Lastly, the erector spinae are the muscles supporting your spinal column.  Look past these fancy terms and you’ll see that all we’re trying to do here is recognising which back exercises you need to do to get real results. If you’re only working some of these muscles, you’re just not going to get that Mr. Universe look.