Lee Haney's back was the factor that led to his 8-year-long Mr. Olympia reign.

Aspiring bodybuilders or fitness enthusiasts, this is your day to learn how to take care of your paraspinal muscles (muscles that run along the back), the Haney way!

Lee Haney's legendary back workout with some tips

Hany's back muscles were representative of his philosophy of building a strong, symmetrical, and long-lasting body. He believed in maintaining a perfect balance between training and recovery, as he believed that the back, especially the lower back, is the core of every lift, so overstimulating it can lead to severe consequences.

Haney's workout routine, thus, was based on his 'stimulate, don't annihilate' philosophy, wherein he pushed his muscles to the point of growth but didn't go to the point of exhaustion to prevent burnout, injury, and for better recovery.

His back workout was a part of his day 3 routine, where he focused on his back and shoulders. For his back, he focused on three major areas: lats, traps, and lower back. His routine would involve the following exercises:

T-bar rows - 4 sets of 6-8 reps

Barbell rows - 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Wide-grip pulldowns - 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Chins - 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Seated cable rows - 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Besides the above mentioned T-bar rows, he added three more exercises for his lats and mid-back

Behind-the-neck pullups - 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps

Crossbench Barbell pullovers - 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps

V-handle chinups - 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps

Training exercises for paraspinal muscles

If your paraspinal muscles are strong, you can lift heavy weights while maintaining a good posture and alignment. Having strong muscles allows performing deadlifts and rows without breaking a sweat.

Also, it helps improve the back width and thickness, and protects the spine from injuries. So, if you are into fitness, you need a strong back to survive lifting weights. Here are a few exercises that will help you achieve that.

Glute bridge for lumbar paraspinal - 3 sets of 12 reps

Bird dog for entire spine - 3 sets of 10 reps

Quadrup raises for spinal stability - 3 sets of 10 reps

Back extension bench - 3 sets of 15 reps

Weighted back extension for erector spinae - 4 sets of 12 reps

Which of these do you think could work for you? Let us know if you have any other tricks up your sleeve!

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Joyita Das