Developing strong upper back muscles will help you with any activity that requires lifting or pulling. You will also stand taller and banish the slump you get from working at a desk or computer.
You may have seen a bodybuilder strike a pose that shows off rippling back muscles. You probably won’t be able to look like that. You may also have seen men who have well developed chests and arms, but backs that look flabby and undefined. You don’t want to look like that. A balanced physique looks best for both men and women. Strong back muscles also contribute to good posture and injury prevention. People who work at desks or computers all day tend to develop a hunched-over look, as their back muscles get weak and stretched out while their chest muscles get tight, though not necessarily strong.
You can think of your back muscles doing two kinds of pulling movements: one where your elbows stay close to your sides and one where your elbows are pointed out. The first targets the large muscles, the latissimus dorsi (or lats), and the second emphasizes the rhomboids, middle traps, and other muscles of the mid back. Try to do an exercise for each, but if you can only do one, there is some crossover so the whole back gets some work. After a few weeks you can switch to an exercise in the other position.
If you have a home gym machine, you may have a lat pulldown attachment, which is great for working the lats. Pull the bar down in front of you until it is just under your chin with your elbows pointed down. At this point your lats are fully contracted. If you can pull the bar down to your lap, the weight is too light. Pulldowns behind your neck are hard on the shoulders. You may also have some form of low cable row. Using a close-grip handle where your palms face each other will emphasize the lats, while using a bar attachment with your elbows out will recruit the mid back more, and approximate the movement of a bentover row (described below).
The back muscles are, or should be, quite strong, which somewhat limits what you can do with free weights, as you may have to use heavy ones. The staple movement will be a 1-arm row. If you have a bench, start with your left hand and left knee on the bench and your right foot on the floor next to the bench. Your back should be straight and parallel to the floor and should stay that way throughout the movement. Grasp the dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in toward your body and your right arm hanging straight down. Slowly pull the dumbbell up until it is next to your ribs, with your elbow pointing up, then return to the start position. Do not twist your body. Do all your reps with your right hand, then switch position and do the exercise using your left hand. That is one set.
A classic barbell back exercise is the bentover row. Your lower back has to be strong and trouble-free for you to do this exercise. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keeping your lower back and abs tight, lean forward from your hips a little farther than 45 degrees. You should maintain the normal curve in your back, with your buttocks out a little. Grasp the bar with your hands outside your legs, let your arms hang straight down, then pull the bar up slowly to your lower ribs, lower slowly and repeat. If this hurts your back, you can get a similar effect by doing your 1-arm rows with your elbow out and your knuckles pointed forward. You can also do the exercise with two dumbbells instead of a barbell. Note that if you use an overhand grip on the barbell, your forearm will assist in the exercise, but if you reverse and use a palms-forward grip, the biceps will get more work assisting the back.
The pull-up (overhand) or chin-up (palms facing you) is another productive back exercise you can do at home. You can install an inexpensive pull-up bar, or use the apparatus at many parks or playgrounds. Bodyweight is sufficient challenge for most people, but strong, advanced trainees can hold a dumbbell between their feet or get a special belt you can hang weights from for weighted pull-ups. You should start from a hanging position, and pull your body up with your arms until your chin is above the bar. Minimize body sway. If this is too difficult, try negative pull-ups. Take a little jump, or start standing on a stool, and start in the up position with your chin above the bar. Then lower yourself slowly until your body is fully extended or your feet are on the floor. Be careful not to hit your shins on the stool if you use one. A spotter is useful. Another conditioning exercise that is sometimes used in fitness testing for women is the bent-arm hang. It is similar to the negative pull-up, except that you hold yourself in the beginning (up) position with your arms bent and chin above the bar as long as you can before lowering your body. Don’t expect to do many of these in one session.