Always wanted a sexy back, with no fat bits popping our spilling out over the sides of your bareback outfit?
Well, help is on the way. Read on…
In terms of how to actually selecting the right exercises for your back, you’ll need to first understand how the upper back muscles function. The upper back is composed of three main muscle groups :
•The trapezius
•The rhomboids
•The latissimus dorsi
For each back workout pick 3-4 of these exercises and do 4 sets (of 16 reps) for each exercise. You can vary the exercises you do for each back workout.
Here are a few great exercises to strengthen your back and to make it look good in your bare back outfit!
1. Seated Row Exercises
This exercise is good for working the latissimus dorsi, spinal erectors, trapezius, biceps, and forearms.
Attach a narrow handle to a low cable pulley (or if your gym has a rowing machine, even better). Sit in front of the machine and grab the handle with both hands. Brace your feet and keep your knees slightly bent.
Lean forward and straighten your arms to stretch your lats completely. Hold this stretched position for a second. Then pull the handle into your stomach and sit up straight. Arch your back and squeeze your back muscles, hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction. Repeat.
2. Deadlifts
Deadlifts work the spinal erectors, quadriceps, buttocks, hips, forearms, trapezius, lats, and abdominals.
Stand in front of a barbell with your shins very close to the bar. Feet shoulder width apart. Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider then shoulder width. Keeping your arms straight, bend your legs and flatten your back. Position yourself so it is like you are doing a squat with the barbell at arm’s length in front of you.
Pull the barbell off the floor by straightening your legs and torso until your body is completely erect. Pull your shoulders back. Then lower the bar back to the floor. Repeat.
3. Hyperextensions
This exercise is great for working the spinal erectors, buttock, and hamstrings.
Begin the back extension by kneeling and placing a balance ball directly in front of you. Lean over on the balance ball so your weight is on your hands and knees with your midsection resting on the ball. Lift your hands away from the ground and place them behind your head. Flex your back and lift your torso as high as possible away from the ball. Hold for one second and release back to starting to complete one repetition.
4. Bent Barbell Rows
This is a basic back exercise that works the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, erector spinae, biceps, and the forearms.
Bend over at the waist and grab a barbell with your hands placed shoulder width apart. Keep a slight bend in the knees. Lift the bar with your arms straight. Keep your upper body at a 45-degree angle to the floor and arch your back.
Moving just your arms row the barbell into your stomach. Hold this position and squeeze your back muscles for a second to maximize the peak contraction. Lower the bar until your arms are straight, but do not let the bar bell touch the floor in between each rep. Keep the tension on the muscles. Repeat.
5. One Arm Dumbbell Row
This exercise works the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, biceps, and the forearms.
Kneel on a flat exercise bench with one knee, you other foot placed on the floor beside the bench. Support your upper body by placing your hand on the end of the bench. With your other hand grab a dumbbell. Keep your back flat and let the dumbbell hang down at arm’s length.
Keeping your elbow close to your side, pull the dumbbell directly upwards until it touches the side of your torso. Squeeze your back muscles for a second to maximize the peak contraction. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Do the same for your other arm.
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