An embarrassing bra bulge hangs down shamelessly on the back. Although this upper body fat is out of the way of the major organs, it still plays a critical role in self-esteem. The best way to reduce this unwanted adiposity is through dedicated exercise. Since you cannot spot reduce, your goal is to melt fat throughout your entire body and tone the muscles in your mid to upper back.
Any Form of Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise involves repetitive movement of the limbs through an extended period of time. This in turn causes you to burn fat in your upper back and throughout the rest of your body. All forms of cardio work out well, as long as you like what you do. Running, fast-paced walking, stair climbing, elliptical training, swimming and jumping rope are good options. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of cardio performed five days a week to lose weight.
Bent-Over Row
A bent-over row targets the upper latissimus dorsi and rhomboids, which are between the shoulders. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Keeping your back straight and abs tight, bend forward at the waist and let the weights hang straight down. Once your back is at about 45 degrees to the floor, pull the dumbbells up to the sides of your stomach and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for a second, slowly lower the weights and repeat.
Lat Pulldown
A lat pulldown targets the upper lats and rhomboids with the help of a cable machine. Sit on the seat and adjust the padded support so it sits tight on your thighs. Carefully reach up and grasp the overhead bar with a wide, overhand grip and lean back slightly. Steadily pull the bar down toward the front of your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together. After holding for a second, slowly raise the bar up until your arms are fully extended and repeat.
Upright Row
The upright row targets the trapezius muscle, which runs from the back of the skull down to the middle of the back. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Keeping your back straight and abs tight, pull the weights up in front of your body until they are at about shoulder height. As you lift the weights, keep them close to your body, bend your elbows and make sure they are higher than your hands. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down and repeat (See Reference 5).
Reverse Flies
Reverse flies work the rhomboids and posterior deltoids, which sit on the back of the shoulders. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing each other. Keeping your back straight, bend forward at the waist and let your arms hang straight down. While keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lift the dumbbells out to your sides until your arms parallel the floor. Slowly lower the weights down until they are an inch apart and repeat.
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