I'm excited to share a small portion of my back workout routine!

The back happens to be my favorite body part to train and not because I find it easy but because in my opinion, the back is the foundation of the upper body. Who cares if you can bench press 400 pounds if you can’t do a single pull up?

I do a crazy number of pull/chin ups per week (700 to be exact) but I don’t necessarily recommend that to anyone, especially a fitness novice. I usually recommend the assisted pull-up machine (which most gyms have) for beginners because it takes time to work up to full-fledge pull ups. However, I have also demonstrated various and additional back exercises that help to achieve the same results and even some that focus more on lower back as well as the shoulders. I used to never work my shoulders and I overheard a guy one time in the gym say “shoulders are what frames you” so I started to do so and with pretty decent results.

Some of the exercise movements I have demonstrated here on the Aging Evolution site include, lateral pull-downs, seated rows, bent over T-bar rows and upright rows. These are all examples of “pulling exercises” as opposed to "pushing." For example, any of the pushing exercises like bench or shoulder presses, which are equally as important, just on a different day. Everyone has their own program, I’m just saying what works for me.

One of my favorite and most gratifying things to do in the gym (other than training back hard) is to approach one or more of the most “out of shape” individuals and encourage them to continue their quest to become physically better. Hey, at least they’re in there trying to improve themselves. I’m a firm believer that a little encouragement, especially from a fit person, goes a long way in terms of whether or not that individual will continue on. I think that holds especially true for someone who may not be accustomed to much attention in or out of the gym. It’s already intimidating enough to try to obtain your fitness goals around some of the “prima donnas” we have all seen at the gym, right?

Now, I don’t claim to know it all, far from it, but I enjoy sharing what I do know from experience with regard to training, nutrition and diet. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “I’ve got everything down except for the diet." Well sorry guys and girls, but the diet happens to be about 80% of the battle in my opinion.

As you can see, fitness, nutrition and diet all play a significant role in my busy life but really only help to balance a total lifestyle. Hey, I get it though, most people have jobs, family etc…and maybe even some with health issues and I’m far from perfect but I am approaching 54, have a wife, family and two full-time careers in addition to a lot of other things and can always find the time for fitness… It’s that important and I know it makes me a better and happier person.

Remember this, age is only a number and “It’s never too late to be great!”