8 June 2023
How to Recover From a Sports Injury With Exercise, Without Making It Worse
"Top 5 Back-Building Exercises by Massimo Massaro Bsc FRCms"
In the quest for a well-balanced and powerful physique, the back muscles play a crucial role.
A big, muscular back not only contributes to a wider and more imposing silhouette but also improves your overall strength and posture.
However, the back is composed of multiple muscle groups and, to effectively target all of these, you need the right set of exercises.
As a certified FRC specialist and personal trainer, here are my top five exercises to help you sculpt a bigger, stronger back:
List of services
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The DeadliftList Item 1
The deadlift is a comprehensive exercise that works several muscle groups at once, including those in your back.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell over the middle of your feet. Bend at your hips and knees to grab the bar. Keep your chest up, pull your shoulders back, and look straight ahead. Lift the bar by straightening your hips and knees.
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Pull-upsList Item 2
Pull-ups are excellent for building a wider back as they primarily target the latissimus dorsi.
Start by hanging from a pull-up bar, palms facing away from you.
Keep your core engaged and pull your body up until your chin is above the bar. Lower yourself back down with control.
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Bent-Over RowsList Item 3
The bent-over row is a versatile back exercise that targets your middle back while also working your lats and shoulders.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell or two dumbbells in front of your body.
Bend at your waist, keeping your back straight, and pull the weight up to your chest.
Lower it back down with control.
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T-Bar RowList Item 4
The T-bar row is a compound movement that engages your lats, rhomboids, and other muscles in your middle back.
Straddle a T-bar row machine and grab the handle.
Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hip. Pull the weight up towards your chest, squeezing your back muscles.
Lower the weight back down with control.
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Seated Cable Row
The seated cable row is a great exercise to target your lats and rhomboids, helping to improve your back's thickness.
Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the platform.
Grab the handle and pull it towards your waist while keeping your back straight.
Release the handle back out with control.
Remember, to get a bigger back, not only do you need to incorporate these exercises into your training regimen, but you also need to focus on consuming a balanced diet to fuel muscle growth and recovery.
Consistency, perseverance, and patience are key to seeing results.
As you follow these exercises, remember to respect your body's boundaries and prioritize form over weight to avoid injuries.
Here's to your journey towards a bigger,
stronger back!
If you've got a persistent sports injury, a dodgy knee, a shoulder that never fully healed, a lower back that flares up every time you try to train, you're probably frustrated.
You might have had physio. You might have rested for months. And yet the problem keeps coming back.
Here's why: rest and passive treatment alone rarely fix the underlying cause of a sports injury.
The root of most recurring injuries is weakness or movement dysfunction and the only way to address those is through progressive, targeted exercise.
The Most Common Mistake in Injury Recovery
Most people either rest completely (which weakens the area further) or return to full training too soon (which re-injures the same structures).
The sweet spot is a structured rehabilitation programme that progressively loads the injured area in a controlled way.
As a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist (FRCms), I assess joint function before building a programme that specifically targets the movement restrictions and weaknesses driving your injury.
What an Exercise-Based Rehab Programme Looks Like
- Week 1–2: Joint assessment and movement re-education, teaching the body to move properly around the injury
- Week 3–4: Controlled strength work at the end of the available range of motion
- Week 5–8: Progressive loading, building strength and resilience in the injured tissue
- Week 9–12: Sport or activity-specific conditioning, preparing for return to full training
Why This Works
Tendons, ligaments and muscles respond to load. When you progressively challenge them with controlled exercise, they adapt and become stronger.
When you avoid using them, they weaken. The research is clear: exercise-based rehabilitation produces better long-term outcomes than rest alone for the vast majority of musculoskeletal injuries.
Getting Started in Orpington
Conditioned Fitness in Orpington offers sports injury rehabilitation programmes with Massimo Massaro BSc FRCms. One of very few personal trainers in South East London with an advanced qualification specifically in joint health and mobility.
Sessions are 100% private, 1:1, and tailored to your injury and your goals.
If you're dealing with a persistent sports injury in the Orpington, Bromley, or Sevenoaks area, call
07950 398025 to book a free assessment.
