Chinups
Chinups are a difficult exercise but they yield tremendous results in developing strength in the back. Hang the weight of your body from a solid bar with an overhand grip. Your hands should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your elbows slightly bent so that your arms are not completely extended. Bend your knees and cross your legs at the ankles as you hang from the bar, then pull yourself up.
Pull your body up until your chin reaches the bar, then slowly return to the bottom.
Tips
* This movement contracts the latissimus dorsi (mainly its lateral fibers), teres major, lower part of the trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, and, to a lesser extent, the pectoralis major.
* To get the most out of this exercise, it is important to remember to keep your body motionless- only your arms should be moving when you raise yourself up. Kicking or swinging the legs to assist in completing the reps will only rob you of the true benefits of this exercise. If you have trouble keeping your legs still, try having someone place an exercise ball between your hamstrings and ankles as you perform the movement. This will force you to keep your legs immobile and maintain correct form.
* When you get really good at this exercise, you can make it more intense by wearing a weight belt or holding a dumbbell between the ankles as you perform the movement.
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