Many exercises work upper, mid and lower back muscles. A strong back can enhance overall strength and improve posture, resulting in decreased neck tension and a slimmer appearance, according to Pam Mazzuca, personal trainer and athletic therapist, in a July 2009 article in "Oxygen." Anyone with preexisting injuries should check with a physician before performing back exercises to determine which are most beneficial.
Upper Back Exercises
On his website, bodybuilding champion Lee Hayward recommends upright rows and chin-ups as exercises that work trapezius muscles in the upper back.
To perform upright rows, hold a barbell with a narrow overhand grip and let it hang in front of you. Then lift the bar and get it as close as possible to your chin by using your arms and elevating your shoulders to squeeze your trapezius muscles. Lower the bar under controlled motion until back to the starting position.
To perform chin-ups, grasp a chin-up bar with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your shoulders back and down, pull yourself up until your chin is just over the bar. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position.
Mid-Back Exercises
To work the latissimus dorsi muscles (lats) in the mid-back, one-arm dumbbell rows and lat pull-downs are recommended by Josh Bryant, a world record-holding power lifter and trainer, in the May 2010 issue of "Muscle & Fitness."
To perform a one-arm dumbbell row, stand alongside a flat bench with a dumbbell in your left hand. Then place your right hand and knee on the bench and lean forward at your hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Let your left arm hang straight toward the floor, palms facing in. Slowly pull the weight up to your side, pause and return to the start. Switch sides and repeat.
To perform lat pulld-owns, sit in a lat pull-down machine, with the pad snugly resting on your thighs, and grasp the bar with a wide grip. Next, lean back slightly and pull the bar down toward your collarbone, keeping your elbows back and down. Hold for a second, return to the starting position and repeat.
Lower Back Exercises
Hyper-extensions and barbell bent-over rows can work erector spinae muscles in the lower back, according to fitness expert Myatt Murphy, author of "The Body You Want in the Time You Have."
To perform hyper-extensions on a stability ball, lie face-down on the ball with your legs straight behind you and your toes touching the ground. Then place your hands either behind your head or across your chest with head down. Next, raise your upper body off the ball and slowly return to the ball.
To perform barbell bent-over rows, place a barbell on the floor in front of you and stand behind it with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bending forward at the waist, reach down and grab the bar overhand (your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart). Then lift the bar off the floor until your torso is between 45 degrees and almost parallel to the floor (your arms should be extended straight below you). Pull the bar straight up until it almost touches the area near your navel, then lower it back down until your arms are straight and repeat.
Back-Strengthening Exercise
"Oxygen" fitness magazine recommends this overall back-strengthening exercise that can be performed simply by placing a mat or towel on the floor. Starting on your hands and knees, extend one leg and the opposite arm so they are parallel to the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
References
- "Oxygen"; Sexy & Sleek V-Taper; Pam Mazzuca; July 2009
- "The Best Body You Want in the Time You Have"; Myatt Murphy; 2005
- "Muscle & Fitness"; V Is for Victory; Josh Bryant; May 2010
- "Oxygen"; Get a Hot Body; Myatt Murphy; March 2010
- "Oxygen"; Move of the Month; March 2010
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